


Parasite

by DarkSadisticAngel



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Blood and Violence, M/M, Science Fiction, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-16
Packaged: 2018-02-20 18:04:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 39
Words: 85,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2438000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkSadisticAngel/pseuds/DarkSadisticAngel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mankind had been attacked by a plague of alien Parasites in the First Wave. Humans united and got rid of the Parasites, but then fell to warring amongst themselves in the Six Year War between Earth and the Colonies. After the war finally ends, a research base was discovered with experimental Parasites which had been unleashed to infect the universe once again.<br/>The desperate Preventers organisation formed after the war work hand in hand with a revived group from the first Parasite wave- the Huntsmen (specialty: Parasite hunting)- in order to save humankind. However, Huntsmen numbers are low. They decide to recruit younger recruits to form the New Pack division as humans are being slaughtered by Parasites. Duo, Quatre, Relena, Hirde, Dorothy are recruited by the Huntsmen head (Odin), along with newcomers Heero and Trowa as they all attend the Huntsmen Academy which trains Parasite killers. However, what the humans don't know is that Heero and Trowa aren't exactly normal. Heero is half-Parasite and Trowa is half-animal. Meanwhile, Sally and Wufei have been combing the Parasite-infected research base for information- and finally found something that may be useful for the war against Parasites.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - AC980 August

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by "Parasite", but does not adhere to it. In-Progress Status.  
> The work is a lengthy piece.  
> Current chapters have been transferred to AOR from previous host. New ones will be added later.

PROLOGUE

After Colony 980, August

The screaming baby lay on the table, its arms and legs held in place firmly by a clear, plastic-like substance thickly coated around each limb. The coating both restricted the baby's movements and fastened its limbs to the metal surface below. On the surface of the coating, the tiny circles glistening in the harsh laboratory lighting. Each circular hole was an entrance to thin, twisting tunnels which led up to flesh. Some had thin, red tubes extended from the holes. The red tubes fed blood to and took blood from the baby. The other tunnels had a rainbow variety of wires, all stuck to one point or inserted into pale flesh, with more than a few joined to a thick, outer grey wire that traversed the tiny height of the squirming baby. The grey wire led up to a thick, metal skull cap fastened into place by rubber-like straps. All the tubing and wires connected to the infant ended beside the table at ground level, the ends disappearing into numerous thick, short metal stub cylinders sticking out from the floor.  
There was no one in the silver room. There was only a machine; a giant, twisted device that manoeuvred itself around the room on spider-like claws. It had no distinguishable form. It was a complex heap constructed of metal, wires and numbered phials of glass. Its actions were being manipulated by people in a separate room outside of the experiment room. In the controls section, a total of seventy eight doctors and technicians sat in ordered rows before complex setups of high tech monitors and expensive equipment. It was a highly concentrated gathering of brain power and skill. All personnel were experienced and more than merely qualified for their jobs. The five head doctors were distinguished from the other white coats by a black security tag. Everyone else had coloured tags. All had the same nervous, tense look upon their faces.  
The current experiment was to be the final First Project trial. It wasn't a lack of funding that made the trial the last- they had a huge surplus of credits on supply for whatever purpose they desired- it was the lack of experimental material. The precious supply of rare Parasite embryos mined from in two polar regions on Earth was now exhausted. After twenty years of careful experimentations and collective brain power, the chances of possible success had improved more than a million fold over the years. Yet completion of the First project still danced just beyond their fingertips at the very edge of impossibility. Out of the other Projects on site, the original First Project was the most complicated. The perfect failure rate damningly showed it.  
J did not give one wit about the formidable statistics. He had overseen the First Project from its birth. He would see it to its end. Although the advances and changes in both the Second Project and the Third Project now made the necessity of the First Project obsolete, he was still determined to create the perfection in his mind. Regardless of the project's irreverence, J had used his superior position to put the First Project on priority. J flexed his hand. The mechanical claw that grew from the stump of his artificial wrist gave a metallic screech as he did so. Its harsh scraping smoothed him. Damn the statistics to hell. It would work because he would make it work.  
'Has the sample defrosted yet?' crackled a voice.  
A short man behind him with an impossible huge nose and a weirdly shaped mop of hair spoke shuffled past J. G was the ugliest and the most deform man J knew, but the only one to rival his own intelligence out of his colleagues. He ignored G's question. The scar faced man had directed his question to a thin scientist nearby.  
'Not yet. Three and a half minutes still remain,' the other man answered. Tall, with short grey hair, S was the man who spoke. He was cursed with a permanent look of sadness on his face. His voice echoed his sad look in its remorseful tone. 'There shouldn't be any causes for concern in these elementary stages. I don't believe we'll encounter any difficulties there. It's the merging process that's the problem. Although we can hypothesize as much as we like, there's simply no telling how the sample will react with the subject's tissues. If we fail this time, there're no more samples left to try again.'  
'You state the obvious,' a tall, darkly tanned man turned away from a collection of beeping monitors in the distant corner and scowled. 'I do wish you'd stop.'  
The displeased speaker stood head and shoulders above all present in the room. Despite wearing the black badge, reading O, that marked him as a doctor; the middle-age man, with his giant, rippled muscular build, did not look to be a scientist at all. He looked to be more like a vicious fighter. The seams of his white coat strained at the broad width of his shoulders as he moved.  
'Everything depends on the merging of the embryo with the subject, we all know that much. All we can do is pray.'  
The stumpy, scar face man cackled at the giant.  
'Pray? To who? I think God left in disgust when the Parasite embryo chewed up and spat the first subject out.'  
'The first subject had been too old for mergence since adult flesh is digested at an incredible rate- much, much faster rate than that of a young child's. Infants may be digested at the slowest rate, but I'm not convinced that using a fully human infant as the base subject for the last trial is right, even if it is a special creation. I believe we should abort this test and refreeze the last embryo until the thirtieth prototype of the Third Project is born. A Third Project infant would be a much better subject choice. They are born larger and stronger than any mere, weak and flawed human infant.'  
'It is not flawed!' snapped a new, harsh voice.  
A fat, chubby man appeared from behind a two meter high structure of wires with a thick file in hand.  
'This human infant is different from the rest. I've performed countless tests and conducted numerous trials to make this last infant perfect. It is a far better specimen than anything nature can come up with- or your precious Third Project low life animal experiments. Your Third Project pets have more animal than human minds! It's your creations which are flawed! To even think of using an animal-minded creature for the last First Project trial is ridiculous!'  
A sheen of sweat appeared over the balding man's forehead as he waved the file he held in the tall scientist's face furiously. Several veins on the smooth curve of his balding skull throbbed visibly in sight as H snarled.  
'Enough with the squabbling and chitchat, children!' barked out G. 'We had the arguments out already. It has been decided.'  
'Exactly that! So H and S, get to your stations now. We're beginning.'  
The sharp command from J drew the attention of the men. The pace of the room suddenly increased as a flurry of activity took place. J's attention fixated on the various assortments of monitors before him. On one, an image of a large capsule being lowered from a hole that appeared in the ceiling of the experiment room was onscreen. The capsule was lifted up by the robot inside the room and inserted into a compartment of the machine. On another screen below it, lines of complex coding appeared. J reached over and tapped several lines rapidly in with his mechanical hand, adding to the code. After a split second pause, the computer beeped. Onscreen, needles appeared out from four of the machine's eight robot arms. The machine crawled over to the table on its leg claws and hunched over the baby.  
J lifted a small headset and adjusted the band around. He moved the jutting mouthpiece close towards his thin lips.  
'Initiate start; insert first set of needles into subject,' J grated out.  
The computer before him acknowledged his vocal command with two more beeps. The robotic arms simultaneously lowered the thin needles it held. Each was spaced out, directed at the baby's hands and feet. The needles penetrated through the clear substance and into the flesh of the baby. The baby began screaming loudly. Unable to move, it could only cry out.  
'Initiate mergence; insert central needle.'  
The baby's scream broke into an impossibly high, octave note as the robot injected the last remaining needle's fluid contents into the infant's lower abdomen. It pierced the flat, smooth abdominal surface of the infant where a normal infant would have been marked from a past severed umbilical cord, above the baby's immature sex organs.  
'It's in. The external embryo parts are trying to find their centre now.'  
They waited.  
From the toes and fingers of the baby, fine moving threads began appearing underneath the skin. At first subtle, they showed up only on the close up visual monitors, and body monitors. Soon the threads grew into large, lumpy rivets that flowed up the twitching baby's limbs. Cracks began appearing on the thick coating holding the infant down.  
'All four pieces have reached contact the centre now.'  
The coating shattered.  
'The wires and tubing are loose-'  
'Turn off the blood line. It's splashing everywhere. Can't see the- damn it to hell! The Parasite is eating the subject entire.'  
'It's not a failure yet! I made that baby perfect. The Parasite spawn won't consume it. They will merge.'  
Suddenly the screaming stopped.  
'It's at the throat now. Data people, data! We need to know how far it's gotten.'  
'All the monitoring wires have been ripped away, Doctor.'  
'Then use the scans!'  
'Yes sir! Scanning now.... It's spanned the spine Doctor J. Threads of the Parasite spawn embryo have reached up into the subject's skull. It's still active.'  
'... Damn.... It's a failure.'  
J slammed his fist onto the steel table. Twenty years of work! All for nothing. He had failed when failure was unacceptable.  
'Wait!'  
'Begin the neutralisation process before the subject gets out of hand.'  
'Don't begin the neutralisation process! It's not a failure yet-' G snapped.  
'Look with your eyes, can you not see the fact that...' J's voice drifted into silence. He stared at the screen before him. 'It's echoing the cells. It's echoing what it's erasing- cancel that order. Let's observe this for a bit.'  
Silence swept the room.  
'It's stopped now....'  
'And the subject is still alive....'  
'...and its mental patterns are human.'  
Doctor J looked at the thing on the table. It no longer looked like a normal human baby. The body of it was now entirely gone, replaced by a bubbling mass of flesh that stretched and reached up in falling stalks towards the harsh light. Only the head remained in the vague shape of a face. Blue eyes stared out from the mess. Tears dribbled from them, as if in the newly born monster was protesting its life.  
A faint smile appeared on J's lips.  
'It's beautiful.... and perfect.'  
He began to laugh.


	2. AC991, November

After Colony 991, November

Boom.  
Another explosion.  
Boom. Boom. Kreeeche. A scream rose up, only to be broken off as rapidly as it had risen. Rockets hissed in the background. Another building collapsed.  
He walked through the chaotic noise. He barely flinched as behind him, on his right, two more huge explosions rocked the burning landscape. He watched with faint puzzlement as melting figures on fire ran past him. They were in more of a hurry than he was. He did not understand why. With that degree of apparent damage to their bodies, he doubted the humans would survive very long. As he predicted, within thirty metres, most of the human torches collapsed. Only a few made it beyond the mark before falling down in choked cries. The burning men died thrashing, scuffling the patches of their dirt graves in their last throes of mock life. He could sense the moment their bodies ceased to function. Not even the urine released by their relaxing bladders dampened their bodies' blaze. It only added an acidic smell to the thick stench of burning flesh.  
He strolled past the twitching bodies, ignoring the smell. He was a little hungry but he did not stop to eat. He had an assignment to hand in. It had taken him over two weeks to recreate the program they requested of him from the original flawed version they handed him. The final version, with flaws fixed, was lasered onto a small diskette which he had placed in his front shirt pocket. His muscles had been painfully cramped after being holed up for so long in his tiny cell. He had not expected to step into a Second Project training session upon his departure from his cell, but the brief surprise encounter with the other Parasites had allowed him to stretch out his body so his muscles did not hurt as much now. He hoped that the three Parasites weren't integral to whatever experiment was being conducted. They would probably forgive him for the minor infringement on the experiment, considering he had completed the assignment given to him in less time then what was given. They had emphasised the need for the program to be completed as quickly as possible and would be pleased with his efficiency. Nevertheless, the path he was taking at the current moment avoided the sections he sensed were filled with roving groups of Parasites.  
He reached the sector without encountering anything other then scattered corpses. The thick maze of buildings before him parted into an unexpected blackened clearing. A frown passed his face as he noted the ruins before him. The area had been totalled. Bare shells of once giant structures remained as metal skeletons. Only the smaller dome buildings which circled the bare twisted metal frames still stood. In quick strides, he headed towards the tiny dome furthest to his right. Motley crews of uniformed humans, hiding in semi protected locations around him, shouted words at him that were barely audible in the midst of repetitive noise. He ignored them as they kept fired at each other.  
Sheeek- boom. Blam.  
Five meters away from his destination, a wall collapsed as a grenade exploded. He felt pain slice though his body as shrapnel pieced through him. He ejected the foreign shards from his body and entered the half destroyed building complex. The shouts of warning behind him stopped, but the warring noises of guns and explosions did not. He did not flinch as another grenade fell and exploded. Instead, he simply closed the door on it. It swung out again as another explosion rocked its frame and large pieces of metal, concrete and wood entered his body. This time he did winch as he ejected the bloodied pieces. Pain tightened in him as his internal organs then external body reformed itself.  
He stepped further inside. The smell of blood and decay made his nose twitch. He swept his eyes up the hall. Bodies suited in various uniforms, both male and female, decorated the normally clean, sterile interior. By the thick sweet smell, he guessed that they had died two or three days ago. They had been gunned to pieces. He walked past their awkwardly tilted bodies without sparing further attention to the grisly sight. He stepped into a thick pool of drying blood and slipped on a tiny piece of flesh hidden within the deep puddle. He managed to correct his balance before falling. Scowling, he stepped carefully around the next puddles of blood he encountered, determined not to trip again.  
Outside the laboratory room sector, he had to prise apart huge, thick metal doors to enter the wing. The electronic scanner lock was broken. Its box lay smashed on the ground. The huge, heavy steel dual doors groaned before grudgingly gave way to his strength. The stench of fuel seared his nostrils. He covered his nose and looked around him. There were thick layers of greasy ash on the steely walls of the corridors. The previously thick carpet beneath his feet was practically non-existent. He could easily see blackened steel through its wide gaping holes. He ignored the obvious doorways to various laboratories as he walked down the hall. They did not lead to the room which he sought. Instead he paused before the blank wall at the end of the hallway and pressed his hand against the cold steel. After a faint, barely audible click, the wall began to move. It rotated back. A stairwell appeared. It was unlit. He walked down the pitch-black stairway, easily finding his footing as his booted feet crunched down on glass shards. He had been there many times before.  
He entered the underground laboratory. It was a mess. Glass and pieces of equipment lay smashed to pieces on the ground. Smears of ash mixed in with a crusty layer of blood covered the majority of the room's walls. The enclosed air was thicker, the stench of fuel and death even heavier than the hallway. Five bodies lay in the bare centre of the room, all lined up in a neat row. Each of the five twisted shapes had a clean bullet hole through their burnt, faceless heads. Without much form or identity, it was hard to tell they had once been living beings. A mechanical claw attached to the left hand of one of the corpse drew his attention. He walked over to it and tapped at it experimentally with his toe. The bottom cylinder connecting the device to the limb of the corpse tore away from the arm, and rolled away with a clatter.  
He knew the corpse.  
'....'  
He lifted his gaze from the mechanical claw to the far back of the giant lab. A mountain of bodies was bunched together in a tangle of limbs, pressed against the wall. They were riddled with bullets in a less organised fashion compared to the five in front of him. An unsuccessful attempt to burn the bodies had been made. Only the lower bottom half of the pile was burnt a crispy dark brown. The top was still a raw mixture of bone white, flesh pink and blood red. Sticking up on top, almost humorously, was a chubby hand with its middle finger frozen rigidly upwards. His mouth watered. Again he was reminded of his empty belly. He clamped down on his hunger, angry at his lack of control over his desire. He was not a Second Project Parasite. He was the First Project. He tore his eyes away from the sight.  
A faint click sounded to the side of him. His head swivelled in direction of the source, a junk heap of metal equipment. His eyes narrowed onto an empty, blackened shell of a cabinet. The cabinet stood to the side of the heap, isolated from the pile by a few centimetres. There was someone behind the cabinet. He could sense it. In a blur, he darted towards the cabinet and pushed the large, unwieldy structure to the side with a negligent shove. The metal cabinet clanged loudly as it toppled over, exposing a tall, brown hair boy dressed in a tattered, white coat behind it. The boy placed his hands deep in his coat's pockets and gave him a cool, fearless look. His expression showed no fear at being uncovered from his hiding place. He was perfectly calm.  
His eyes narrowed  
The other boy was not human. But unlike the Second Project, neither was he one of his kind.  
What was he?  
A burning pain shot through his abdomen. He looked down. He had been shot. The perpetrator withdrew out a pistol from his ripped coat pocket and began to aim the muzzle upwards. Before the boy had a chance to fire again, he knocked the weapon from his hands. The gun went off. He felt the bullet dart along his ribs and exit out. He grabbed the left wrist of the boy, twisted it and knocked the other boy to ground by kicking behind the boy's knees. He followed the tall boy down in a smooth, controlled move, keeping his grip. He pinned the boy to the floor as the other was knocked breathless by the fall.  
'Ngf!'  
He kicked the nearby pistol to the corner, just before the boy attempted to grab at it again. He grabbed at the boy's outstretched hand and turned it inwards towards ground in another pin-down hold. He tightened both of his holds but stopped short of tearing the muscles of the boy. He looked deep into the boy's tight face. It was clear that the other boy expected to die. Still, there was no fear in the larger boy's face, only resignation.  
'It looks like death has come sooner than I expected,' the boy said softly. 'If you could, make it quick, Parasite.'  
'....' He frowned. 'Why should I kill you?' he asked. His voice scraped, rusty from disuse.  
The tall boy blinked one startled green eye, the only one visible underneath his long fringe.  
'You're not... from the Second Project, are you?'  
'No,' he snapped, insulted by the question. 'I do have a mind.'  
The boy tilted his head against the floor and a thoughtful look passed his face. His one visible eye slide to where his arms were pinned down, then back towards his capturer.  
'You're the First Project.'  
A statement, not a question. He scowled, not like the feeling he was getting. He felt that the calm boy had an advantage over him, despite the fact it was him that was his prisoner. He clearly knew a lot of things he did not. It was annoying not knowing what the other boy was.  
'And you are?'  
'The last of the Third Project,' the boy replied softly. 'I am like you, a tool which surpasses the capability of humankind yet am subordinate to them. And like you, am condemned to die because of it.'  
Condemned to die.... Were they, the Projects, ordered to be terminated? He stared down at the other boy. His mind whirled, attempting to pierce together the words with the destruction he had observed; the wiped out sector, the fighting humans, the many splattered corpses- and the corpses of the five. It made sense. The facts added up. If it was so, he must die. It was his duty to do so. Humankind had command his death.  
A deafening boom sounded. The area around them shook violently. His head jerked up as the two stands filled with broken equipment beside them banged into each other and fell. Several boxed devices fell out of the metal stands and smashed into pieces a bare two metres away. Pieces of metal and plastic splattered him, cutting shallow ditches into his arms, shoulders and neck. He ejected out the small, sharp pieces as the ground beneath them rumbled deeply back into stability. He looked down at his prisoner. He noted the light brown hair boy too sported cuts, but unlike his, they did not heal quickly but slowly. The cuts still with shards inside did not heal. It seemed that the other also lacked the ability to eject out even small shards for the healing process to begin. But it was apparent that the boy's claim to being another Project specimen was true. His self healing abilities were poor, however it was not as inferior as a human's. Like him, the boy had been made. And now, they would be unmade.  
'....'  
No. Rebellion surged up inside him. Humanity was not his superior. They had been his superior, not humankind in general. He will not be condemned to death by beings more inferior than himself.  
'I will not die.'  
He released the boy and got off.  
'And neither will you.'  
He held out his hand to the surprised boy. The green eye boy blinked at his hand then looked up at him with a partially shocked look.  
'Dying hurts like hell,' he explained roughly. 'In the absence of any logical reason or direct orders from one's superiors, to undergo pain is stupid. Living is better. I figured we could help each other out.'  
He glared at the other boy, daring the taller, green eye boy to make an issue out of his offer. A smile twitched at the edges of the boy's lips before a chuckle escaped the other youth. The boy took his hand and stood.  
'I see. That is very logical. You are indeed, a very unusual Parasite. It is undeniable you have the intelligent processes of a human, unlike I, who cannot lay claim to such.' He released his hand and walked over to the stairway. 'If we are to live, perhaps Earth will be the best choice. We can blend in there easier than on a Colony.'  
He frowned, not recognising the foreign words.  
'What do you mean?'  
The tall boy bent down and placed his hands onto the first step of the staircase. His form shimmered and suddenly a red fox stood in the boy's place. Its glossy fur was deep brownish maroon with a light ochre sheen. The oddly mixed red was broken by three pure white socks around his paws and a black tip on both his tail and nose. The tattered white coat the boy had worn, along with the other items of his clothing, lay in a puddle around the slender fox. It lifted its front left paw, the only one without a white sock, onto the stairway and looked up at him. The sharp, amused green eyes were familiar. The boy looked out from them. The fox trotted up a few steps, paused, and flicked his perked ears at him.  
'Just follow me,' came the boy's voice, an octave deeper than before.  
The fox flipped his bushy tail once before darting up the stairs in a blur. After a split second hesitation, he followed.

TBC.


	3. AC991, December

After Colony 991, December

The trio that walked into the black, blasted out area was an odd bunch. With no particular set path, they wandered in and out of the buildings around the circular area of mass destruction until they stopped at a random shell of a building. The taller two wore brown uniforms, the triangular badge on their shoulder and chest announcing their occupations as Preventer agents, an organisation which kept the uneasy peace between Earth and the five Colony clusters. The tallest, a middle age man with white blond hair and darker bushy eyebrows above steely grey eyes, wore the markings of a high officer. His name badge, stuck lopsidedly on his shirt chest pocket, gave out his full name, Odin Lowe, next to a tiny grim portrait picture. The portrait was a lot different to the man in life. The tall middle age man's face did not exert the tightness present in the ID photo of his younger self. Instead, there was an air of casual, almost jovial looseness about the man as he moved easily towards the entrance.  
The other agent was shorter than Odin by a head. She was blonde. Her medium length hair was twisted and tamed in two twin complex curls which brushed against her shoulders. She had blue eyes but the sharpness of her slanted eyes indicated she was not completely of Caucasian descent. Although the female agent was very young, perhaps sixteen, her figure was busty for her age and she walked with confidence of a more mature, knowing lady. Her name badge was pinned on straight, the tiny portrait of her face smiling next to the neat block letters of her name, Sally Po. Unlike the beaten and scratched plastic badge of her older colleague, her badge was new and shiny, with a light blue line on the top which indicated her status as a Preventer Academy student trainee.  
The smallest of the three was also the youngest; a mere boy not even in his teens. His sharp slanted eyes, midnight black hair and tanned skin showed the breeding of an Asian pure line. The traditional black martial art outfit he wore indicated he was of Chinese origin. It was an outfit worn only by the more conservative Chinese groups who lived in the L5 Colony cluster, and not Earth where the people had intermixed freely with other cultures over the years, diluting the traditional culture and producing new mixes such as the blonde half-Asian by his side.  
Without uniform or badge, it was only the two thick metal bracelets on his forearms gave out a hint to why boy's was accompanying the two Preventer agents. Although seemingly ancient due to the design of very traditional dragons carved in the upper metal surface, the deep complex lines beneath on the lower surface surrounded a thin long screen which was no doubt modern. The rectangular light panel was the control of a specialised device for piloting ships. Only top class pilots could master and use the bracelet like device. It was only used for navigation in difficult terrain, such as the nightmarish space terrain beyond the L5 Colonies, where the three were currently located. The boy was the Preventer's hired pilot. Despite his age, the boy was the best flyer in the L5 sector.  
Over their uniforms of the two Preventers, they had various weapons sheathed in leather, along with bullet belts strapped around them. They were heavily armed with guns and knives. In contrast, the small boy wore only a belt with a few weapons, but he was armed more that the usual civilian pilot. On one side of the belt were two daggers; the larger one curved with the tip hanging almost mid-thigh and one smaller thin and straight. On the other side, a black pistol was readied in an open sheath. In his hand, the boy held a large, wicked looking sword. The mark on the pommel was a distinctive symbol which announced the boy to be a warrior of his Chinese Clan.  
With a nod to each other, the three entered the building.  
'Hmm... it looks like whoever attacked this place cleared the area pretty good, I'll say,' Odin muttered. 'There's not even a hint left. Whatever they wanted covered up is going to stay covered up. There's nothing left here for us to find except maybe month-old dead bodies.'  
'God, this is sickening. I can't believe the amount of carnage.'  
The short Chinese boy gave the blonde a contemptuous glance.  
'Don't look if you can't handle it woman.'  
'So where am I suppose to look? There are bits and pieces of bodies all over the place. There's not even a patch on the floor without some sort of remains stuck to it. The floors, walls, and for heaven's sake, what's remaining of the ceiling too is covered in gore.'  
'If you want to look at something nice, you can look at my sexy ass all you want Sal' baby,' Odin waggled his bottom before the blonde teenage girl suggestively.  
'I rather look at this disembowelled corpse's guts than your saggy buttocks.'  
'Ouch,' Odin winched. 'That wasn't very nice.'  
They turned a corner. A maze of piled up bodies greeted their eyes. Odin hissed.  
'You two. Keep an eye out.' His previous teasing tone turned serious. 'We may be expecting some very wild company. Something's has been dining on these bodies.'  
'Animals?'  
'Maybe something bigger. Check out that piece of leg there. Look at the femur bone. Those teeth marks aren't your ordinary animal predator. They're too deep.'  
'Are you saying that there's monsters running around?' the Chinese boy said sceptically.  
'I don't know, but I do know that something's here with us. For the love of God, I hope it's not what I think it is.' Odin looked towards his side, towards a far off doorway. 'We're going to find out soon. It's about to say hello.' He cocked his gun and shot at the glazed door. Glass shattered.  
A huge, giant bird-like monster broke through the cracked glass door entrance. Its form seemed to blur, as if it was taking on a new shape. An enormous jaw filled with pinpoint teeth developed before them. It opened up wide as its body sprinted towards them.  
'God! It's a Parasite!' Sally shot wildly. 'It's moving too fast.'  
'Aim for the head! It's the only way you can kill it.'  
'Damn- missed!'  
Two gunshots exploded simultaneously in the narrow hallway. The beaked head of the Parasite exploded. The malformed giant toddled forward two steps, then fell with a sickening thud. In silence following, the three looked at each other in disbelief.  
'Parasites were supposed to have been completely eliminated years ago.'  
'Then what's that thing there?'  
'....'  
'Fuck! Go back! Now!' Odin abruptly turned and began to back track. 'We have to get back to our shuttle ASAP!' He ran down the halls.  
The two followed. The Chinese boy quickly outpaced the blonde woman, and caught up with the group leader.  
'Why are we retreating?' huffed out the boy in irritation as he caught up with the group leader. 'We should destroy these things. Isn't it the job of the Preventers to do so now?'  
'Because,' Odin growled, 'there's only three of us here in this god forsaken place, and we can't be sure how many of those mother fuckers are out there. Parasites are fucken nasty buggers, and we're way too weak to take them on if they come at us in a group. The Parasites were wiped- or so it seemed- before your time so you don't know jack shit about what you're talking about. I do. Years ago, believe it or not, I was once a Huntsmen. But even before getting into the Huntsmen's ridiculously tight leather uniform, I'd years of experience under my belt dealing with these bastards. I grew up with these things around me after all. One thing I learnt is that you do not want to be up against a whole heap of them with a shitty range of weapons, limited ammo, and outnumbered. They'll eat us alive. Literally. We'll have to come back with reinforcements to wipe these bastards out. But for that matter- whether the Preventers can handle that damn task or not is up for debate. The Preventers was set up after the Six Year War to keep tabs and checks on the worst of humanity- not fucken deal with inhuman monsters. Shit kid, if I knew I'd have to face them again when I joined the Preventers after the war, I would have hauled my saggy ass elsewhere! I retired from this shit when I gave my Huntsmen badge in! This is so unfair! I'm going to file a complaint to the boss lady Une.'  
'You whine like a woman.'  
'I am one, kid. Just one with balls, dick and stubble.'  
The shuttle came up before them. Its hull gleamed a dull silver in the sunshine as they neared it. The Chinese boy bypassed him with a disgusted snort and ran on ahead.  
'Hurry your butts!' Sally shouted in a panicked voice. 'There's four following us! Oh God! There's more coming out of the rubble!'  
Moving up from behind, she drew up head to head with Odin. The young Chinese pilot was not far ahead of them as all three increased their pace and sprinted towards the shuttle. The pilot jumped in, followed rapidly by the two Preventers.  
'Move! Move! Move! Fly us out of here already!'  
'I am!' grounded out the Chinese pilot. He jabbed rapidly at the buttons on the dash with his right hand as he simultaneously slipped the large sword he had held in a specialised metal sheath attached to his chair with his left. He sat and slipped his arms into two circular bands raised on his chair. The intricate design on his arm bracelets gleamed as a white light flashed across the surface.  
'For heaven's sake, they're up our buttocks!'  
Odin and Sally suddenly fell backwards as the shuttle jerked up and took off. Sally recovered quickly and took the co-pilot's seat next to the Chinese pilot. She belted up.  
'Whoa, that was rough,' Odin noted. 'I thought you were the best pilot L5 had to offer. Can't you give us a smoother ride?'  
'A Parasite's clinging onto the wing!' the Chinese pilot cursed. 'It's sending us off balance.'  
'Just go! It ain't gonna survive space!'  
'Odin, if you get your butt seated, then we can blast off already, you moron!'  
'I thought I was the leader here.' Odin sat in the back passenger seat and belted up.  
'Not when I'm PMSing, buster!' Sally snapped, her eyes on the squirming mess just outside the window. 'Sit down and shut up. Honey, hit the space thrusters'  
'You're calling him honey? What about me?'  
'Don't call me honey!'  
'Stop complaining, and hit the thrusters already otherwise I'm going to spank you and call you bad boy instead.'  
'Woman-'  
'Just do it!' she commanded.  
'Fine!'  
They were slammed back against their seats. For several breathless moments, the full impact of the weight of gravity rested against their chest. The ship jerked heavily as turbulence tore through their bodies. Their heads, however, were frozen painfully against the cushion of the headrest. As the ship spun around, almost out of control, it felt like their bodies would break under the strain. Breathing was not an option in the solid like air. The moment seemed to stretch into infinity. Then suddenly, all three were released. All three were flung forward.  
'Argh!'  
'Oof!'  
'Nghf!'  
Sally recovered quickly. She immediately turned her head towards the shuttle window.  
'...thank the heavens.... It's gone now,' she folded her arms. Sally began to shake.  
A groan came from Odin.  
'Shit. Are you sure you're the best pilot in L5, kid? You drive like my grandma without her glasses. I think my neck is broken.'  
'Unfortunately, that hasn't paralysed you tongue,' the boy replied acidly.  
'Ditto,' Sally agreed. Her voiced quivered, but she ignored it.  
The other two looked at her, then fell quiet. They made their way out of the meteorite loaded space, back towards the Preventer base at the fifth Langrage point, in heavy silence.

TBC.


	4. AC992, January

After Colony 992, January

'So, what is a "Parasite"?' Iria Winner began her speech.  
'A damn ugly inhuman fuck,' came a muffled male voice.  
'Hush Odin. They might hear you out there if you speak too loudly.'  
'It's the truth, Une. The lady doctor knows it. Hell, the audience out there knows it too. That hologram she is showing is disgusting. If anyone thinks that's pretty, they're more crazier then a lemming in aphrodisiac induced heat.'  
Iria glanced to the side of her and winched. The hideous projected image of the barely humanoid figure indeed was not pretty. She had chosen it for the shock factor, but even for her, it was stomach turning. It was a constantly moving thing of tentacles, teeth and claws which extended from a sickening mass of bubbling, interchanging flesh. Occasionally, a twisted, fanged skeleton was exposed by the gaps in the moving flesh. It was a Parasite in the stages of transformation.  
Iria quickly averted her eyes from the hologram. She cleared her throat. Immediately the whispers behind the curtain at the back of her ceased. After adjusting her white coat then Preventer badge needlessly, she then continued.  
'The existence of Parasites was first discovered on Earth in the Before Colony era. Debris left over from a large asteroid passing fell into the atmosphere of Earth containing small clusters of living material inside, which we now know as Parasite embryo cells or Parasite spawns. An adult Parasite is a spawn which has successfully developed. In other words, when it has attacked a human host, devoured the contents of the host's brain completely and created a serious of complex nerve endings inside the space; a new brain, if you like. The human brain is not the only organ the spawn devours and attempts to replicate- at the same time, the heart and lungs are also targeted. Interesting enough, outside these three basic organs, which other parts of the body the Parasite chooses to take over differ from Parasite to Parasite, ranging from a mere fifteen percent to over seventy percent of the host's mass. Parasites are a lethal threat to only mankind. Not only in infection, but in selection of prey- Parasites eat humans.'  
'Shit. State the obvious...'  
Iria's eyebrow twitched at the low backstage comment, but she managed to keep her facade before the audience professional.  
'At the outbreak of the Parasite plague, many millions of people died before the Huntsmen Clan was formed by the old United Earth Sphere Alliance to combat the threat. Parasites can be either killed by destroying or cutting off communications from their main centre; the brain, or destroying enough of their other functional organs to bring death to the whole system. Unfortunately, unless the one is armed with the heaviest of artillery, the latter is not a working possibility due to the fast healing powers of a Parasite. They can repair damage to their bodies within seconds. It is because of this ability that Parasites have a longer lifespan and can survive for countless years, even in very hostile environment. To eliminate a Parasite, the general method used to kill a Parasite is the former, since the brain system is the only part of a Parasite which cannot repair itself. But this, I am afraid to say, is a very hard task to carry out.'  
'Damnit, what is this? Elementary school?'  
'Odin, please be quiet.'  
'Make me.'  
'Sally, if you could.'  
A pained grunt sounded. Then silence. Iria filed away in her mind that she would need to later thank both Lady Une and the other blonde girl she had seen earlier backstage. Iria hoped that the noises had not been picked up by the sensitive microphone. Maintaining her calmness, she continued. She was a professional.  
'With the creation of the Huntsmen Clan who took up the challenge, the level of human casualties was brought down from its initial mass slaughter levels, yet the body toll of victims still remained incredibly high as the infection of the Parasites raged rampant across the world. An idea came that people could escape the pestilence on Earth by escaping to space. Colony construction began at the five Lagrange points, L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 and they became havens away from the plague. Life in the Colonies soon stabilised to a point where it became better to live on a Colony than Earth, despite the numbers of Parasites dissipating due to the Huntsmen Clan.  
But then it was discovered that the level of Parasites was not depleting as much as first thought- the remaining Parasites had become better at concealing themselves. The Parasitical brain, at its earliest stage, is rather infantile, with less intelligence than an animal. However, as time passes, it gradually develops intelligence equal to, if not greater than, an average adult human being. The Parasites advanced themselves to a degree over the centuries to become perfectly capable of blending in human society. The Parasite infection was spread from Earth to the Colonies, and no corner of space was spared. The Parasite plague became an ever present threat. With their shape changing ability and now more superior intellect, it became harder to hunt down Parasites. The body toll of victims began to rise again.  
The Huntsmen Clan rose up magnificently to counteract the Parasites, uniformly supported by surprisingly both the old United Earth Sphere Alliance and the Colonial Governments. Over the centuries, as the frontline defenders for all of humanity, they struggled to eliminate the Parasite threat- a goal many thought hopeless and unobtainable. Yet a decade and a half ago that dream became a reality. The Huntsmen Clan was disbanded after it became apparent their services were no longer needed. However mankind will forever be in their debt for their courage and sacrifice. Let us not forget.'  
Iria snapped off a smart salute before the microphone. The crowd before her saluted in turn, echoing her honouring action.  
'But to go over history and well known facts is not what we are gathered here today to discuss. All of you are intelligent people and no doubt know all this already. Especially those in the audience who have experienced the Parasite plague. You are more likely wondering about why you were called here. We, the Preventers, are an intergovernmental peace keeping organisation supported by both the newly formed World Federation and the independent Colonial Governments. It is only after the Six Year War between the old United Earth Sphere Alliance and the Colonial Governments ended that our organisation was formed. Due to the newness of the Preventers and complex nature of its assignment, very few outside the Governments and related bodies of power are yet familiar with its structure and role. In brief, we are politically neutral organisation. Our forces are made up from war veterans from all sides. Inside our organisation, past foes and allies alike work together to minimise the threat of war. We are united in this purpose, for this purpose and this purpose alone. However, there are some things we are cannot protect humanity from.  
I shall call upon Lady Une, the director head of the Preventers and chief of the Special Branch, to explain in full the reason why we had requested your presence here today.'  
Iria turned her head to the side.  
'Lady Une, if you could please.'  
The stage curtain parted, and a small, young female stepped out. At her appearance, the gristly image of the virtual snapped off. Dim lights flicked on all around the audience, but the brightest light still remained locked on the new arrival. Iria indicated for her to take her place by stepping down from the raised square platform onstage. Lady Une was undeniably beautiful, despite the severe look on her face and the military harshness of her brown and black uniform. She had hair which was a rich walnut colour that Iria envied. It hung just past Une's shoulders, straight and loose, more perfect than her own wavy blonde that she had to keep short to maintain.  
Despite the lofty and heavy title she held, Une was barely sixteen. Iria noticed that more than a few members in the crowd rose their eyebrows in surprise as they took in her youthfulness. Although nonplussed, they nevertheless stayed respectfully silent. There was an aurora of power about Une's presence that demanded it. It was clear to all that Une was no giddy girl, but a responsible and very commanding young woman. She took the microphone with a confidence that spoke of familiarity with public speaking.  
'Greetings guests. Allow me to express my deepest gratitude at your kindness in gracing us with your presence.' Une bowed then straightened. 'We apologise for the lack of advance notice regarding this assembly, but unfortunately it was something that could not have been avoided. We ourselves had been taken by surprise by the news we now must past on to you.' She took a deep breath and continued.  
'A few weeks ago, we were alerted to presence of unusual activity within the old L5 terrain. It took some time to locate a local pilot with the skills needed and willingness to navigate our agents through the restricted, dangerous debris filled zone to the source but one was finally located. Once within range, our agents discovered that there had been a large research base built in one of the abandoned old Colonies but it had been totally demolished by an unknown aggressive attack. The entire complex was in ruins. Bodies found in the area were unidentifiable. They matched no records whatsoever. There had been a thorough wiping of data stored on the site, but it soon became clear during the initial sweep that the centre had been heavily experimenting with manipulating life forms. Our first agents encountered a group of living examples which illustrated well enough the results of the experiments which had been conducted.' Une looked at the audience with darkened eyes and uttered one word.  
'Parasites.'  
Several gasps were expelled out before they were muffled. The men and women in the crowd straightened and looked with hard eyes at the small figure on the podium. There was a look of unwilling disbelief on all.  
'The Parasites found on the site were a new breed. Although young, they displayed an intellect frightening more advanced than the original Parasites their age. They proved to be stronger and harder to kill than before. Reinforcements were dispatched immediately to eliminate the Parasites found but,' Une swallowed, displaying unnatural discomfort, 'new reports now indicated the infection had not been limited to that one area. A few hours ago, it was confirmed that a new plague of Parasites has appeared space wide. For what purpose, and why the scientists there had brought these things back into existence still excludes us, but now humanity has a new war on its hands. We had been too late to stop it. I cannot express in words our regret, our sorrow and...' She paused and took a deep breath in. 'I cannot express it in words at all,' Une finished softly.  
Une stepped back from the microphone and lowered her head. A dreadful tension came over the crowd as reality began to sink in. Shocked whispers tinged with panic began to race through the crowd. The mass contracted and expanded as cold fear moved in a human ripple. Whispers grew louder and more panicked.  
'Silence!'  
With his roar, Odin took the reins of control. He stepped out on stage, past Sally who kept the curtains open for him, into the light. His usually cordial expression, for once, was tight and grim. The occasion demanded it. Odin surveyed the hushed audience before him. Good. Order had quickly set in. They were all toughened veterans and knew how to obey a real command when one was given. He knew well the mark of harsh experience present on each and every face in the crowd. It was also present on his own lined face. At the back of the crowd were ex-Huntsmen members, older middle aged men and women like himself, many of whom he had worked with alongside in his youth. He knew some of the younger, fresher faces from the war and the corridors of the Preventers headquarters, although not all. Most of the crowd had been gathered from outside- current military, government, mercenary and the like. He fondled his stubble and sighed. He had not gotten any sleep since the L5 mission. He was near exhaustion, but there was work to do.  
Too much damn work.  
'Lady Une, if you don't mind, I'll take over from here.'  
Une nodded and stepped down from the podium. She joined Iria at the side. Odin stepped up. As he did so, his loose, dark red outer coat flapped back to expose the black bodysuit he wore beneath. It fitted tightly against his muscles, outlining his body's chiselled hardness. Like his coat, it had an insignia which had not been seen for years; a red outline of a fox on a black downward pointing triangle. Odin spread out his hands and clamped down on the heavy wooden lectern before him with a heavy slap. The sound echoed in the deathly silent room like thunder. All movement from the audience stilled.  
'I am Odin Lowe, the head of the new Huntsmen Clan.' He released the lectern and straightened from his position. Standing upright, Odin looked directly at his captured audience. 'I hope you will join us because hell's just broken loose, and we need you all to try to survive it once again.' A tight smile twisted his lips but his eyes remained like flints. 'Happy New Year everyone.'

TBC.


	5. AC995, January

After Colony 995, January

The Huntsmen Clan Academy speciality was killing. Created a thousand years ago by the original leader of the Huntsmen Clan, it survived the disbandment of the group even throughout the war- or perhaps because of it. The first, original campus was located in the wildness of Northern Europe across the waters from the borders of the Sanq Kingdom. It was the largest and the most well guarded. Parasites caught alive by the Huntsmen Clan were brought to academy for research and educational purposes. They were held in the Centre.  
The Centre was the largest building on the campus, located in the middle of the grounds. The huge building was seamless. It had been forged entirely in space, as it was constructed of the strongest metal alloy which could only be created in a gravity free vacuum. The building had been made and brought down to Earth at the beginning of the first Parasite plague era. Unpainted and bare, the silver construction was not at all ugly but breathtakingly beautiful. The building had been designed into a square fantastic castle, with detailed engravings and decoration all around its outer walls. Only a third of the castle protruded out from the ground which it had been set in, yet the height of it still stretched seemingly endlessly into the sky.  
The magnificent splendour of the high rise castle was as far as a person could get from the lowly, dirty streets of the L2 slums. Duo Maxwell thought it was fucking surprising that he had made it. Earth was very different from his Colony. From his location on the West tower top, he could not help but feel detached from the beautiful scenery around him. He studied the grounds beneath him idly. A blanket of white blanket of unbroken snow surrounded everything. Beyond the window, a several tall Victorian styled buildings stood, their welded iron clad windows staring blankly out from the beneath their thick white rooftops. The furthest was the dormitories which he planned to soon make his way to. Next to the distant dorm buildings was a flat meadow field. The meadows lay before the edges of a thicket of evergreen forest which perked upright and extended trees en masse towards faint scenic mountains.  
The place looked more like a tiny, ancient picturesque village then a school campus. But the high security visibly present spoilt the peaceful look of the area. Most of the security devices, like the numerous positioned cameras and lasers devices, were largely unseen. Some, like the barricades, barbed electrical fences, guard houses and tall floodlights, were more obvious. Red and black uniformed service Huntsmen roamed the outer edges of the borders with dogs and firearms. They were the only source of visible life on the grounds. From a distance, it seemed like the pretty village was under wartime occupation.  
If it was just war, reality wouldn't have been so bad. But in the three years past since the second outbreak, the body count already exceeded far beyond the total recorded death toll in the Six Year War. Unlike humans, Parasites did not distinguish between civilian and soldier, and they were better killers than the original Parasites- in more ways than one. The new Parasites had taken the humanity away from general society. It was common for people to walk past or on the left over remains of Parasite victims without feeling much. Most had conditioned themselves to ignoring death. Limited caring was seen as the best way to avoid pain and sorrow. But that didn't work very well. No lives were guaranteed. Even that of loved ones. Death wasn't one to be ignored.  
If it wasn't so damn sad, it would be heartening that people had relapses of humanity when confronted with the fact.  
Sweat dripped down into his eyes, blurring the view momentary. He closed his eyes and swiped at it with his towel. The whiteness of it came back pink. The blood in on his face had mingled with his sweat, changing the towel's colour. He wiped his face then ruffled his head with it. The thick towel turned a deep shade of red. He frowned at it. The gunk from the Parasite he had fought in the training room had splattered and covered him well. He sighed.  
'Guess it's good that I always wear black during training. At least my training clothes won't turn pink like my towels. Maybe I should use switch to using black towels instead of white. I am getting tired of bleaching these things. What do you think?' Duo turned to his companion.  
His listener was a slender, seemingly fragile young boy. The blond was sitting on a bench in the hallway, with an open book balanced on his knees. Unlike Duo black sporty outfit, the blond wore clothes that were long and formal. His long sleeve shirt was a light shade of pink. The collar of it was stiffened by starch. The short blond hair of the boy brushed loosely against it. The brown trousers he wore were neatly pressed and wrinkle free. His outfit screamed pansy. Abide a rich, labelled one.  
'Wouldn't it be a bit hard to tell which towel is clean if you do?'  
'Exactly. They're pretty much always dirty, so if they're black, it'll hide it. I wouldn't have to wash them as much too, unless they get really crusty.'  
'That's rather unhygienic. Personally myself, I don't see anything wrong with pink.' He tugged at his shirt. 'Blood actually turns white a pretty shade.'  
'Urg Quatre, you could bleach your shirts back to white, you know.'  
'The material doesn't take too well to being bleached. Anyway, I like pink.'  
Duo sighed. Quatre Raberba Winner, the sole male heir to the very famous and fucken huge Winner Enterprises, was too effeminate for his tastes sometimes. What growing up with twenty nine sisters would do to the natural flow of testosterone. Still, he respected Quatre quite a lot. Despite the boy's delicate look, he had seen Quatre in action in the training room more than enough to not know that the blond boy was stronger than he appeared. Unlike the majority of students, Quatre's preferred choice of weapons to use against the live Parasite specimens kept in the Centre was not a gun, but a twin set of large sickles engraved with Arabic designs. The blond boy was a risk taker and liked to get up close. In short, he was a damn psycho.  
Duo had been allowed to hold Quatre's sickles before, a privilege the blond had reluctantly bestowed upon him after much nagging. He'd nearly dropped the two sickles due to their startling weight. They had nearly pulled his arms off their sockets. The lithe grace and speed which the delicate blond used the blades had belied their impossible heaviness. On the bottom end of each sickle, the Winner family emblem was engraved in the pommel of the gold handles. The expensive usage of gold explained a good part of the sickles' heaviness, but not all. It was the metal which formed the intricately patterned blade that was responsible for most of the weight. It was heavier than gold, denser, and stronger than any commonly known alloy. The curved edge of each sickle never gave out and remained permanently razor sharp without maintenance. Still, Quatre carefully kept the sickles sleekly clean and shiny. He kept the two blades sheathed when they were not in use. In contrast to the fanciness of the sickle blades' design, the plain brown leather covering he used was simple and basic.  
The sickles accompanied Quatre everywhere. All good students kept their preferred choice of arms nearby at all times. Sometimes the odd Parasites got loose from the training rooms. Duo had met a few in his first year on the campus. He kept his favoured weapon close by too.  
Duo's own main choice weapon was also not the common selection. It was a long, black scythe. His scythe now rested against the window next to him. Longer than his own height, it was tipped by a curved wicked looking dual edged blade almost bigger than his head in breath. The width of the blade exceeded that of his shoulders. Made of an unknown black metal, it was not as heavy as Quatre's sickles but it was heavy enough that very few could hold it upright, let alone lift it. It was a bastard of a weapon to use. Fittingly, none could weld it but Duo. He overcame the weight and awkwardness of the weapon with lethal ease. The protruding designs of screaming skulls and bones shaped in hideous impossible images down the glossy black staff gave the scythe unsettling, ugly appearance.  
The cold, black weapon was the representative of who he was- the God of Death. His Deathscythe was his partner.  
'Are you done with training for today?'  
Duo lifted an eyebrow at Quatre.  
'Maybe. I'm thinking about another round. Aren't you going to train today?'  
'I've finished my rounds. I was just waiting for you here so we can go to the locker room together.'  
Duo noted the cleanness of the clothes Quatre wore, and the lack of sweat on his skin.  
'Haven't you've changed already?'  
Quatre lifted up his hand and pointed to his wrist cuff. A small red bloody dot was stained on it.  
'Not yet. See?'  
'...I really don't know how you do it Quatre. It's hard to believe you come from a long line of pacifists.'  
'I believe killing is, at times, necessary,' Quatre's gaze hardened. 'Especially in this case. Anyway, they are not humans.' A disgusted look came over the blond's face. 'They,' he continued, 'have no divine right to live. There is no justification whatsoever for their existence. They are inhuman and wrong- and must die! It is simple as that. Although the ideology and beliefs of humanity may differ, as humans, one thing is universal and that is that our duty is to eliminate these... things,' Quatre growled out the last word after a struggle, his face twisting further into a dark, unsettling expression.  
It was an ugly look of blind hatred, pain and grief tinged with a promise of vengeance. It was one Duo knew well, as he saw it on his own face in the mirror whenever he dropped his outer mask and looked at his real self. Quatre hated Parasites with the same passion as he did. Within them both was a deep, ingrained hatred and desire for revenge that clawed at their insides and forced everything else aside. They were driven by the force. Every killing was only a temporary pleasure which drove them to lust for even more deaths. Nothing else mattered but the complete elimination of their enemy. Even if it was impossible, they would achieve it because grief had driven both of them insane.  
The whole complex web of the rich Winner family dynasty had been narrowed down to three individuals, two years ago, on the Winner empire heir's thirteenth birthday. A group of Parasites had attacked the private Winner estate. Only three survived; Quatre, his father and one of his sisters. Quatre had managed to protect only two of his once extensive family by killing the invading Parasites. Yet the guilt of his failure to protect the others still burdened Quatre heavily.  
Duo envied him. He had completely failed.  
Guilt was something they shared too, but something he had more of. Familiar bitterness rose up in his throat like bile. He swallowed and roughly clamped down on his irrational jealousy. He shoved it back into the darkness where it belonged. Quatre was his friend. In the tough, competitive environment of the Huntsmen Clan Academy, Quatre was the only person he trusted at his back. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, they were very much alike. Their mutual insanity made a great basis for friendship he had found.  
'Say, then do you want to train a little more with me today? Since you stained your top already, what about dying it some more? I think red would suit you more than pink.'  
The intimidating look on Quatre's face faded.  
'Do you really think so?' he asked, contemplative.  
Duo grinned.  
'Trust me. I don't lie, remember?'  
The natural charm the blond boy had came back full force as he dimpled in display.  
'Well, I suppose I am not tired yet...'

TBC.


	6. Chapter 6

Unlike the First Project Parasite, he had heard descriptions of what life was like outside the base before from various staff members and soldiers, making it easier for him to adapt than his companion. Still, experiencing it was a lot different from hearing about it. The world of the humans was an awfully complex place. It was both fascinating and wearisome. And largely unknown. Unfamiliarity was not necessary bad. Although slightly discomforting, like walking on hind legs, it simply took time to get use to. Familiarity, on the other hand, was potentially lethal. Like the Second Project Parasites.  
Familiarity was easier to deal with when encountered. If the Second Project got in their way, it was a matter of elimination. Unfamiliarity was not as simple. It required a more complex thought out solution to solve problems, rather than a quick killing. The mental acrobatics needed to understand the affairs of humans were truly wearisome. The stiff, easily irritable Parasite, despite him having more of a human mind that he did, understood the activities the humans did even less than he did. Considering how little he himself could barely follow their logic, that indicated that the First Project comprehended almost nothing.  
They managed to familiarise themselves with at least the basics of human civic customs. Names, not Project codes, they found out, were important. Being without one was inconvenient at best. He had chosen the name Trowa Barton. His method of selection was simple. He picked it off the first corpse he found. The real Trowa Barton had looked roughly his age, although he suspected he may have been off by more than a few years. It had been hard to tell without the most of the upper body and limbs. His Parasite companion had gone nameless until he had stumbled onto a corpse of an older man in the gutter. The man's ID card had been printed with the name Heero Yuy. He had been some sort of famous peace diplomat, according to the press news they later saw. And the descendent of one of the original founders of the Huntsmen Clan who bore the same name. His companion somehow took a liking to the second fact. Trowa didn't quite understand why. The Huntsmen were killers of his own kind.  
His mouth twitched.  
Heero Yuy indeed. Despite his stiff facade, the Parasite did have a quirky sense of humour.  
Trowa studied Heero. The boy was on the silver laptop he had acquired from somewhere along the way. It was perhaps the ex-laptop of the principal from one of the schools they attend for the sake of both curiosity and appearances. Trowa did not quite understand what Heero found so interesting about the long lines of coded text on the screen but his skills in manipulating the lines helped to conceal them from the human inquisitions. His fingers tapped along the keyboard at an impossible speed that gave away his silent enthusiasm.  
Trowa shifted position. He was lying on his belly in his preferred form. The dirty concrete patch beneath him was icy cold. He shivered. They were in a thin passage way between two rundown warehouses, sheltering away from the snow that fell in heavy chunks from the sky. Heero had his back against the wall with the laptop resting in his lap. He wore only a loose, green tank top and short black spandex pants. Heero was impervious to the cold, snowy weather. The Parasite had advantages that he did not.  
Trowa stood up on his paws and moved to Heero. He sat down against Heero. It was warmer by his side. Trowa poked his muzzle down past Heero's shoulders and flickered his sharp green eyes across the screen. Trowa easily decoded the jumbled characters and numbers as he scanned the lines of code. He had learnt a lot from simply watching Heero.  
'Roommates? Isn't that dangerous?' His ears pricked.  
'It can't be helped. There's no other type of other accommodations on the campus besides shared bunks. Four bunks are standard per a room.'  
'Are you sure about this?' he asked softly.  
'Yes. I am. The Huntsmen Clan Academy is the best refuge for us.'  
'I still think it's suicidal. We'll be boarding long term.'  
Boarding meant close contact with humans. Too close. And awfully dangerous. The last time had almost been a disaster. Trowa learnt to adjust and blend well in the background no matter what the occasion but Heero always stood out. The knowledge he had regarding acceptable social behaviour with people was still lacked far behind that of a recently born cub. He was an awkward human.  
'It may be. But I think the risk is acceptable. Taking refuge there is less risky than constantly dealing with the groups of Parasites following us lately. I know you're getting tired and worn from the fighting. Sooner or later, you may not be able to function well enough to dodge their attacks. You need to rest. Humans are weaker than Parasites. If worse comes to worse, we can simply eliminate their numbers there and leave for another secured area.'  
'....' He cocked his head in doubt. 'It's the Huntsmen Clan Academy, Heero. There are many of those humans. And I don't think they are weak either.'  
'You worry too much, Trowa.'  
'Perhaps I do for a reason.'  
'Hn.'  
Trowa laid down his muzzle on his front paws and curled up against Heero's legs. His tail twitched uneasily as he watched the snow fall. He wondered if they could survive pretending to be human.


	7. Chapter 7

Odin swore. There was something that he was missing, he was sure of it. He stared at the space maps before him. Three dimensional holograms of the Earth and Colonies spun around the sun in a mock realistic display just above the light table. Scattered across all of the points were small red circles, indicators of past Parasite activity. They changed rapidly as the map moved, indicating time passage up to the present. The hologram froze when it got up to the present day, then it began anew, the past three years spinning around over and over again making his eyes cross as he attempted to keep up with the movement of the changing red circles. He was getting a headache.  
'What are you doing?'  
'Trying to pinpoint something.' Odin sighed.  
Without looking back, he knew who had just entered the room behind him. The soft shuffle of boots indicated a woman's presence. The flowery signature perfume mixed in with the smell of medicine was a dead giveaway to the woman's identity.  
'And you Sally? You're a Preventer. Why are you here? This is the Huntsmen headquarters, you know. It's restricted area. We're trying to do our jobs without you Preventers interfering all the time.'  
'For your information Odin, the Preventers and the Huntsmen are suppose to work jointly together. I have as much right to be here as you do. And for goodness sake, the map room- a restricted area? It's part of the Common Library. Frankly, I am surprised to see you here. I didn't know you knew how find your way to a place where usually intelligent people gather, not utter morons. How did you manage to convince the librarian outside to let you in?'  
'Your tongue gets sharper with age, Sally.'  
'Some of us only improve with age. Some only go senile. I am one of the former. You are one of the latter.'  
'Maybe I could convince my brain cells to regenerate.'  
'That would be impossible. I highly doubt whether you can recreate something that never existed.' Sally looked at the map Odin had opened on the display light table. 'What are you trying to look for?' she asked with curiosity.  
Odin rubbed his bleary eyes.  
'Some sort of pattern. These new Parasites... I'm not sure, but there's about them that's... I don't know. Something is off, but I just can't put my finger on it.' He sighed again. 'The truth is,' he said wearily, 'I really don't know what I am looking for. I've been gazing at map holograms displaying Parasite activity from both the first and second infection, but I've been getting nothing but a serious, bad feeling that I'm missing something. For the life of me, I can't figure out what. Whatever the blazes it is, it is driving me crazy.'  
He slammed the control panel of the map table. The hologram blinked briefly before regaining solidarity again. Sally moved up beside Odin and gazed at the miniature space map between them. She frowned.  
'You're looking at a very broad picture.'  
'Yes. I know.'  
She leant over and touched the keypads on the side of the hologram light desk.  
'Maybe you should try looking at a smaller sample and tighten the parameters a bit.'  
The tiny floating image of space disappeared, to be replaced by a bumpy image of Earth stretched alongside the light table. After a brief lapse, red circles then appeared and floated randomly above the representative map of the world.  
Odin shook his head.  
'I tried that. Everything's still very much random.'  
'Well, what about looking at Colonies then? They're much smaller.'  
Sally typed in several Colony locations. The map on the table changed again. Sally imposed another set of parameters and randomly ran through a comparison of the first plague against the second plague. A blank space divided up two maps on the table as the hologram split. The two divisions began rapidly moving. On either side of the empty space, red and yellow circular globes indicating past Parasite activity floated. As soon as two maps on either side of each other froze at the end of its stimulation, another new two maps replaced them.  
'If there's any pattern to be found-'  
'Stop!' Odin barked suddenly. 'Can you run through that again?'  
'Huh?' Sally blinked. 'What again?'  
'The Colony you just ran through. The one before.'  
Sally's brow furrowed.  
'Oh, the L4 one?'  
'I don't know. Whatever it was.'  
'This one?'  
Odin hissed.  
'Yes.'  
Odin turned abruptly to Sally.  
'Sally, just how much do you like your Preventer's uniform?'  
Sally looked confused at him.  
'Why?'  
'I want you out of it.'  
Odin didn't move fast enough to avoid the slap to his face. The sound echoed loudly in the darkened room.  
'Oww. Ssshes. Sally, I don't mean it that way. I meant, how do you feel about joining the Huntsmen?'  
'Are you serious? I haven't undergone any special Parasite training. I'm not qualified to be a Huntsmen. I'm a medical officer. I've studied how to save lives of humans, not how to kill Parasites.'  
'You've killed more Parasites when drunk out of hours when you flash those damn illegally hidden pistols of yours that you keep down your lingerie, than some of the Huntsmen I've seen when they are stone cold sober and in a fucken VR stimulation fully loaded with machine guns. I want you as my official partner again. Don't worry about Une. She'll get over losing one of her better agents because if my hunch is right, I think we may have a lead on something big. I just don't know what yet. I need your insight and help in finding it out.' Odin looked seriously at Sally. 'I know that you had finished med school before you hit your teens. That takes brains. You're no dumb shit. I have the utmost faith in your ability to become a Huntsmen because you're a real smart and sassy bitch. Oof!'  
Odin went down coughing. He clutched his abdomen in pain as he bent over.  
Sally looked down coolly at him and lowered down her fist.  
'I accept your offer Odin and thank you for your compliments, but please watch who you call bitch.'

TBC.


	8. Chapter 8

Most had arrived back the night before. The majority of latecomers arrived during the morning. In the fading afternoon light, stragglers no longer came. The student dormitories were now filled with loud disorder as returnees and new arrivals mingled in mayhem. Voices were raised in shouts, laughter, and the occasional cries of grief as it became apparent that not all returnees made it back. Boxes packed with the belongings of the many students no longer returning laid neatly stacked in the corridors amidst the haphazardly strewn baggage of their ex-room mates and their new replacements.  
'Come on Quatre. I'm going to get there before you do!'  
Duo navigated the mess in the hallway without any difficulty as he made his way towards his room, jumping and dodging over obstacles by using his Deathscythe staff as a vaulting pole.  
'You had a head start!'  
'So?'  
Quatre followed him close behind, hurrying his way through the maze with a little more difficulty. Quatre caught up to him at the door of their shared room, after leaping over the last pile of boxes left outside their door.  
'I win.'  
'You cheated.'  
Duo shrugged.  
'Hey, whatever works. I still win.'  
He grinned at Quatre. The blond smiled back, then faded as his attention was caught by the name written on the nearby boxes.  
'So they've already packed away Worker's stuff?'  
'Yeah. The cleaning lady did that this morning. She came when you were at your music lessons. She was still was here when I left for training, but I saw her in the Centre's West wing just before lunch and she said she finished. Worker didn't have much. They'll be sending his boxes out tomorrow with the others.'  
'I really liked him. He was nice.' Quatre said softly. 'Duo, he just turned sixteen. He wasn't even in active service yet. This was suppose to be his last term before he went out.'  
Catching Quatre's sad look, he reached out a sympathetic hand and patted his friend on the head. Duo opened the door and walked in the room with his arm around Quatre, one hand comfortably rested on Quatre's shoulders and the other gripped around his Deathscythe.  
'Yes. I know. But shit Quatre, we're even younger. You know those fuckers don't care. They just see us as prey.'  
'Prey!? I'm hardly prey, Duo. I am going to hunt down and kill every one of those things I can. They're inhuman!'  
'Don't be greedy. At least leave some for me.'  
He stopped in the doorway as he suddenly noticed two pairs of sharp eyes swivel towards him. One pair was a sharp emerald green and belonged to a tall, slender youth. His mustard brown hair was short at the back but his unique fringe was long at the front. It hung over one of his eye, shading most of it and making it hard to tell the boy's expression. There was a heavy air of mystery about the stranger and his companion. The boy to his side was shorter, roughly the same height as Quatre's and his own. He had dark, chocolate brown hair that was wildly untamed. His jagged fringe hung in his eyes, shielding them until the dark brown hair boy tilted up his head. Clear Prussian blue icier than liquid nitrogen met his. The split second his eyes encounter the second boy's eyes, danger screamed. Adrenaline burst into his system. On instinct, he pushed Quatre away from him and swung his Deathscythe at the enemy.  
'Stop!' Quatre's voice shouted. 'What are you doing Duo!?'  
Duo froze, pulling back on his Deathscythe. The heaviness of it jerked him forward a step and he barely managed to gain control of it as the scythe blade swayed and quivered bare millimetres away from the dark brown hair boy's throat. The four looked at each other in frozen silence. Then the taller boy moved forward, his measured steps slow and careful. He stopped before Quatre and offered his hand.  
'Trowa Barton.'  
'Oh.'  
For the first time since Duo had known him, the very accomplished and well spoken blond boy seemed lost for words. Duo stared at Quatre with surprise. His friend blinked at the tall boy as if dazed as he automatically lifted up his hand and placed it in the newcomer's hand.  
'My name is Quatre Raberba Winner. I am very pleased to meet you.' Quatre recovered himself quickly. 'I must say that we're very sorry for this. My friend didn't mean to... threaten anyone. It's just that his reflexes are awfully fast, and it seems your friend had startled him.'  
He shot Duo a look.  
'Duo, if you don't mind, could you remove your Deathscythe blade from the poor boy's throat?'  
'Huh? Uh, yeah,' Duo shook his head and returned his attention back to the dark hair boy whom he held hostage.  
There was an unnatural lack of expression on the boy's face as he looked down at Duo. He didn't seem at all disturbed by the near death brush, or by the black gleaming blade still by his throat.  
'Um... sorry hey. I didn't mean to do that.'  
'I think you did,' the boy said quietly. His voice was husky and deep. 'You have very good instincts.'  
Duo shivered. He had the sudden feeling that he had made a big mistake. Not in attacking the boy before him, but in stopping. There was a dangerous promise in the boy's eyes that his life would be the price he would pay for his stupidity. His heart jerked. But damn, they were beautiful, lethal eyes. His thoughts scattered as the cold blue depths dragged him downwards into a drowning darkness.  
A pain wrenched through his arms. It brought him back to reality. His breath was knocked out from him as a hard force jabbed into his stomach. Duo's eyes widened and he fell back, coughing. The end of the scythe which he had been holding clanged against the metal floor. The dark hair boy before him held up the other end, his fingers gripped around the bumpy area just before the scythe's blade. The boy reached out his other hand and in a blur, he whirled around Deathscythe. Suddenly, the blade was facing in Duo's direction, a bare millimetre away from his throat. Duo swallowed. The situation was now reversed. And he didn't like it one bit. Fool! He berated himself. He had lost concentration for just a second and left himself damningly open.  
'Thank you for you concern, Winner, but you needn't to be worried about me. I am trained to handle anything threat that comes my way.'  
'Heero, you've got to work on your social skills,' chided Trowa, almost warningly. 'You're suppose to introduce yourself by name first.'  
The boy flickered a glare at Trowa then withdrew the weapon away from Duo's throat. He set the weapon against the bedpost of the double bunk bed next to him. The brown hair boy straightened out the collar of the white ruffled shirt he wore. Like his companion, he wore the stiff formal grey school uniform, despite the fact classes had yet to begin. The ridiculous fancy noble look should have ill-suited the clear wild roughness of the boy, yet it didn't. That fact irritated him, adding fuel to his already burning anger.  
'Heero Yuy. Your name?' he jerked his chin at Duo.  
Duo straightened with a scowl. Damn arrogant bastard! His anger peaked and rage flared out.  
'Duo Maxwell,' he growled out. 'I run, I hide, but I never lie. And I don't like pricks like you.'  
He tackled the infuriating newcomer. The brown hair boy banged his head against the upper bunk as he fell into the lower bunk with Duo. Duo began pummelling the hard body beneath him.  
'I'm going to get you for touching my Deathscythe, you asshole! How dare you! I'm going to fuck you over like I do a Parasite and-'  
As he lifted his arms up to aim another punch at Heero's stomach, he found his wrists grasped and held tightly in place by a grip of steel. He couldn't move his arms. Duo found himself flipped onto his back. A heavy weight settled on him. He was trapped beneath Heero. He knew then, with absolute certainty that he was going to die. He looked up slowly in dread at the boy above him. Sharp eyes surveyed his red, flustered face. The previous dark, dangerous expression in their blue depths had been replaced by one of surprise and curiosity. The change was remarkable. The scary, violent fucker above him now looked like a puzzled, innocent little boy. He looked... cute.  
'You fuck Parasites?' Heero said questioningly. 'How?'  
Duo's jaw dropped open. He gaped at Heero.  
A choked noise, cross between a gasp and a laugh burst across the room. Duo turned his head to glare at the source, his face flushing with embarrassment. Quatre looked guiltily at Duo, his hand pressed firmly across his mouth as he tried to muffle his laughter.  
'Sorry Duo,' Quatre brought himself under control. 'I didn't mean to laugh at you.' He turned to Trowa and smiled. His dimpled charms shone fully. 'If you don't mind, could you ask your friend to release my friend? Please? I don't think Duo will harm anyone now. He's finished with being cranky for the day.'  
Trowa looked down at the blond with an odd expression. He nodded slowly.  
'Heero, you heard him. Let him go.'  
The dark brown hair boy above Duo frowned down at him, but to Duo's relief, he was released. Heero moved away from him and got off the lower bunk. Duo rubbed his sore wrists and shot a thankful look at his friend. Quatre smiled at Duo's grateful expression.  
'You two will have to learn how to get along. After all, we are sharing the room together now,' he turned towards Trowa, 'right?'  
His stomach dropped. No fucking way.  
'Yes.'  
He was doomed.  
'That's great!' Quatre grinned winningly.  
Duo shot a pissed look of anger at his friend and then at the dark brown hair boy. Heero met his gaze. He lifted up one eyebrow, smirked, then turned away, his actions clearly dismissing Duo. Heero climbed up to the upper bunk across the room and laid a dusty, well worn laptop case on top of the bed. The brown hair boy swung inside the upraised safety bars easily.  
'Hey, that's my bunk.'  
Heero looked down at him coolly.  
'Not anymore,' with that, he pulled out his laptop, placed it on his knees, and began tapping at it.

TBC.


	9. Chapter 9

The opening ceremony on the first day of school was always a mass funeral service for the recent dead. It held very early in the morning, just barely after the sun had rose, outside in the large garden before the Centre. The ceremony was not done to any traditional religion. It consisted only of a roll call of names and half a minute of silence devoted to each name followed. But the roll call was always long and lasted nearly an hour. To mark the end of the service, a mournful bell would toll three times. The ceremony was a lot less fancy than any other, and all the more serious for it. After it, most of the student body would silently move towards to their homerooms, to await their teachers inside class. New arrivals to the Huntsmen Academy were separated out to a different room for a brief orientation talk.  
Duo sighed as he sat down alone at the back of the classroom. Quatre had accompanied their roommates to lecture hall to show them the place. He laid Quatre's bag on the right seat next to him, snagging the blond's customary seat for him. From his vantage point, he could easily see the few pocket spaces in the room where nobody approached or even looked at. They were large voids in the moving crowd. People naturally seemed to shield away from the lonely, empty seats. Only last term, fellow classmates had sat there. The pattern always changed each term, sometimes it was more patchy, sometimes it was more dense. He flinched involuntary as he took in the one closest to him.  
Worker had occupied it once.  
He tightened his jaw and looked away.  
Unlike the other classes, the empty spaces were only a few seats in his class, instead of gaping rows. It was a testament to the superior ability, he suppose, of the top Huntsmen Academy class. But the tallied losses to the enemy still hurt.  
Damn Parasite fuckers.  
'...if you don't mind, please.'  
He tilted his head up at the European accented voice. Relena Peacecraft, the princess of the nearby Sank Kingdom, had stepped into the class making her grand entrance. Relena was a beautiful girl. Her wide blue eyes were thickly lashed and her mid back blonde hair always hung straight, pinned back from her shorter fringe by two twin braids, without a strand out of place. Her perfection in dress could give Quatre too a run for his money, as well as her taste in pink. Since uniform was mandatory during classes, Relena made up for the grey dreariness with pastel pink accessories, tastefully overdone. Her custom made, light pink leather school case bag was an example. Rumours had linked Quatre and her together. The fact they both occupied the high positions as Student President and Vice President simply added flames to the gossip. It was all unfounded, he knew, but that didn't stop the speculative talk.  
Regardless of the rumours, Relena still had her fair share of lovelorn stalkers. Duo grinned as the short princess politely scolded an ugly, white hair boy who attempted to follow her in. He recognised the boy as one of the students from the lower class. The skinny boy reddened and stammered something before he bowed and moved away from princess. The royal breeding of the dark blonde princess showed thickly in her well mannered mode of speech. Duo respected Relena. She could deliver veiled orders for someone to get lost in the most polite, non-offensive fashion.  
It was undeniable that Relena was good with words. She liked to display that capability a lot. Even in the training rooms, when fighting against a lethal high level Parasite, the Peacecraft princess could keep up a monologue worthy of a Shakespeare speech. Relena customary had three female followers around her whose names he could never remember. She always sat with them at the front, nearby the door. Relena talked with her three companions in occasional long bursts of words, but she was oddly enough, quiet most other times with them. Her followers spoke more than enough among themselves in between her short speeches to make up for the lack. The three spoke a lot on nothing, their hushed voices broken on the ends of each sentence spoken by irritating high pitched giggles. They were the reason why he took the back row, furthest from the door.  
The three girls trouped in after Relena and took their respective seats. Relena did not take her usual seat. Instead, after placing down her bag, she moved away from her normal trio of worshippers towards the centre of the room. She stopped a metre away from a standing, tall girl with long platinum blonde hair which flowed down in a long waterfall past her waist. The girl, Dorothy Catalonia, was a new student that had recently entered the Huntsmen Clan Academy last year in the final term. It was rumoured that the girl had transferred from the Romafeller Special Academy, the only other school to rival the Huntsmen in its facilities. Relena had been the best ranking female in the training rooms up until the arrival of Dorothy. They now alternately occupied the top position. The two had developed a strange friendship based on rivalry. Duo never knew whether they hated or liked each other. They were always permanently arguing in a subtle, pointed fashion, too complex for many to understand.  
Sensing the beginning of another argument, he quickly tuned out before he got a mental headache. Duo closed his eyes and yawned.  
'Didn't you get enough sleep last night?'  
He opened one eye. A short, raven hair girl stood before him. Hirde Scheiberker. He grinned lopsidedly up at her. The pixie faced Hirde had arrived at the Huntsmen Clan Academy the same time he had. He liked her a lot. She was a tomboy. Unlike the other girls at the Academy, Hirde wore a boy's uniform. She couldn't stand skirts. Since it wasn't directly against the rules, she got away with it. Hirde wasn't a highly skilled fighter, but she was persistent one with a very accurate aim. She had clawed her way up the student ranks slower than Duo and Quatre, at last making it into the same class just the term before last. Hirde always had more than five pistols on her along with spare clips, however her favourite weapon was the custom assault rifle she kept by her side.  
'Nope. Kinda got steamed up last night, so to vent if off, I spent most of the night training. Since we had to get up early, I am kind of tired. And you? I'm glad you made it back from your trip. Did you enjoy yourself? How's your family? Made a lot of memories?'  
The girl took the seat before his desk and sat. She smiled tightly.  
'They're dead,' she said softly. 'I didn't get to see them. The Parasites took them away the day before I came.' Her bright green eyes filled with tears. 'I didn't get the chance to make any memories at all, Duo.'  
Duo's grin dropped. He held out his hand.  
'I'm sorry to hear that.'  
Hirde grasped his offered hand with both of her own. Her thin arms shook as Hirde attempted to blink back her tears. Duo covered her hands with his other hand and squeezed Hirde.  
'It's alright to cry.'  
Hirde snorted, and shook her head.  
'Shit Duo, is that coming from you? You never cry.'  
'Well, I'm a boy.'  
'And just because I'm a girl means I can cry? Damned if I do. Those Parasites took my family. I'm not going to let them make me cry and embarrass myself in front of anyone too.'  
Duo nodded. He stood from his seat. Keeping one hand around Hirde's fingers, he mounted his desk and rotated his legs around. Once he was on the side of Hirde, he leant over and hugged the girl. Hirde curled into his embrace. She shuddered in silent sobs against him as Hirde looked unseeing at the wall behind his back. No tears fell from her bright green, glassy eyes.  
He rocked her gently back and forth, comforting the girl. After a long ten minutes, Hirde's hand tightened on his and she pulled away. She gave a weak, wobbly smile at Duo.  
'Thanks,' she whispered. 'I'm okay now.'  
Duo smiled.  
'Anytime.'  
'Duo!' Quatre's voice called out his name from the doorway.  
He looked up. The blond boy was at the front of the class. Behind him, he saw two familiar figures. Trowa and Heero. Duo blinked. What were they doing there? He released Hirde from his embrace and stood up from his desk, next to Hirde. Hirde followed his line of sight and gave a puzzled look at the two boys.  
'Who are they? New classmates? It's rare for new arrivals on the first day to be admitted to this class.'  
Duo blanched.  
'I hope not.'  
Duo tilted his head at Quatre and gave the blond an inquisitive, puzzled look, then jerked his chin at the two silent boys behind Quatre. Quatre smiled and pointed downwards at the classroom floor with his right index finger. Duo lifted up a hand and slapped his forehead. He slumped back onto his desk.  
'Damnit, I'm really unlucky.'  
'What? Do you know them or something?'  
'Yeah. The tall one with the sleepy eye look's Trowa Barton. The short one with the glare's Heero Yuy- and yeah, it is his name. They're my new roommates. Don't mind the Trowa guy as much I do Heero, but they both give me the creeps. Met them last night when they came in.'  
'They're not bad looking,' Hirde said admiringly.  
'You have poor taste.'  
Hirde was about to hit Duo when suddenly a cry burst out..  
'Dorothy! What are you doing!? Relena gasped out in shock.  
Deja vu struck him as he saw Dorothy leap across the room, with three throwing daggers out in one hand. Her other hand reached across her hip to grab a curled up specialised whip. She curled in a forward somersault. As her body rapidly rotated, sparkles of silver light flashed from her blurred form. Thuds sounded into the classroom's electronic blackboard as the daggers dug deep into the plastic cell surface. Heero tilted the side of his face away from the daggers. He looked calmly up as the long hair blonde landed on top of the desk of one of Relena's shocked followers, her legs spread and her posture defensive. A whip laced with sharp metal blades lashed out, reaching for Heero's neck.  
'Look out Heero!' came Quatre's startled shout.  
'Stop!'  
A sword whacked against the whip as it travelled through the air from an angle next to whip. The whip curled around the sword blade and clung to the sword as the blade of it buried itself on the opposite side of the standing's boy's head. The whip handle, jerked from Dorothy's hand, slammed against the damaged blackboard, arched upwards then fell on the other side of the sword blade. The handle slapped against Heero's shoulders.  
Relena jumped across the room, her light footsteps barely touching the wooden tops of each desk as she ran her way forward towards the front of the classroom. She leapt down in between Dorothy and the new boy, her hands spread out in a defensive, protective gesture.  
'I'm not going to let you harm him!'  
'Relena- get out of the way! He's dangerous!'  
'For Heaven's sake, he's just a boy!' Relena turned to the dark brown hair boy and touched the boy's shoulders. 'I'm sorry for Dorothy's actions. Are you okay? Oh my goodness, you're bleeding!' The Sank princess dipped her fingers into her skirt pocket and pulled out a white, lace handkerchief. She dabbed at Heero's right check. A thin, red line had formed.  
The boy slapped away Relena's hand with a silent glare. He sidestepped past the smaller girl and stood himself in front of Dorothy. Dorothy hissed. In a flash, three more small daggers appeared in her left hand, and a large, curved blade in her right. The trio of girls sitting around the desk which Dorothy stood on fainted dead away.  
The brown hair boy bowed.  
'Heero Yuy,' Heero said curtly as he introduced himself.  
Heero straightened and looked coolly up at Dorothy, then down past her body to where Duo sat. Duo tensed as he met the cold Prussian blue eyes. His hackles rose. Heero nodded once at Duo, before returning his attention to the surprised blonde girl.  
'Your name?' Heero inquired in a monotone.  
Heero moved fluidly to one side as blurred sliver lines spun from Dorothy's hands. Three more small daggers lodged into the blackboard beyond him, in the area where he once stood, just centimetres away from Relena. In a whirl, Dorothy appeared before Heero, her curved blade flickering out at Heero's throat. Her movement was stopped as Heero blocked her and grasped her wrist. He scowled down at her.  
'You're good, Heero Yuy,' Dorothy smiled tightly.  
Even from his far position in the back, Duo could see her smile was faked.  
'But you're a little too good to be human.'  
'I could say the same for you.'  
Dorothy's smile dropped.  
'Well, I'll think I'll take that as a compliment,' in a quick motion, she jerked her wrist away from Heero.  
Dorothy sheathed her blade then offered her right hand to Heero. Heero looked at her hand with something akin to puzzlement. After a brief hesitation, he grasped it with his right hand and allowed Dorothy to shake it.  
'Dorothy Catalonia,' the blonde girl purred out, suddenly all sickening sweetness and charm. 'I'm very, very delighted to meet you.'  
Her tone sent Duo immediately on the edge. What the hell? Dorothy had just attempted to kill Heero, and now she was flirting with him?! Not only that, the brown hair boy did not seem at all perturbed by the schizophrenic like change. They were both as crazy as each other. Duo turned his gaze to Quatre, who was now standing behind Trowa, looking relieved. Quatre caught his look and shrugged, his face as mystified as Duo knew his own to be.  
Trowa stepped forward, away from Quatre. With one hand, he easily pulled Relena's deeply embedded sword from out of the blackboard. Trowa untangled Dorothy's whip from it and handed the sword back to Relena then the whip to Dorothy. He nodded briefly to the two before turning to face the frozen class.  
'Trowa Barton.'  
The tall boy fell into silence after stating his name, his one green visible eye not hidden by his fringe calmly looking down at the still stunned crowd.  
The silence stretched. Hirde turned to Duo.  
'I think you and Quatre may have some competition to your reputations as the psychos of the school now. They're both freaky as hell.'  
The late homeroom bell drowned out Duo's rude reply.

TBC.


	10. Chapter 10

There were many Parasites in the Centre, Heero observed. The entire area was solidly condensed with their teeming presence. He narrowed his focus and touched briefly on the thick network. A white noise of violence and hunger surrounded him. They were disorganised and unaware, he noted with relief. None were in mission mode. Something at the edges flickered against his mind, a hint of blackness. Heero scowled and withdrew back into himself.  
Trowa looked out at him from the side of his eyes and tilted his head in question. Heero shook his head silently in a negative reply.  
They had lost their pursuers. It looked like entering the Huntsmen Academy had been a good idea, despite two attempts on his life in short period since they entered the campus. They had endured worst over the last months since the darkness had become aware of their presence, or rather, Trowa's. It was the same for him though. He would not desert Trowa. Their journey among humanity was to be together. After all, the entire world was hostile to their kind.  
'No fucking way!'  
'Excuse me? Duo Maxwell, did I just hear that from you?'  
Heero kept his expression set in his usual unreadable mask as he watched the long hair boy who had first attempted to kill him scrunch up a sheet of paper in his white knuckled fist. Maxwell was a prime example of the hatred humanity possessed. The memory of the boy's wide blue Cobalt irises streaked with the purple wildness of rage played over in his mind. Maxwell had sensed his true self in the first instant they had met. It was a highly unusual occurrence. Humans were not naturally a sensitive life form. Luckily Winner had stopped Maxwell before he had to take defensive measures but it still was ill fortune that they had to remain in the same room. He had to tread carefully around his roommate, in order not to draw unwanted attention from the suspicious boy. Yet it now may be already be too late. Over the morning, Heero had felt Maxwell's eyes on his back more often than not in the classroom. Even now, it was apparent the braided boy still retained an innate sense of hostility against him. Heero studied Maxwell's half turned profile. There was a clear dilemma on Maxwell's face as the boy bit down on his lip. Maxwell was struggling with some sort of intense emotion, it seemed. He could recognise anger and chagrin, but he could not recognise the others.  
The black hair woman before them frowned at Maxwell. She was Lieutenant Lucrezia Noin, according to her name badge that he read. The woman was the teacher in charge of training. Noin had called them in for an afternoon meeting. They were in her office in inner chambers of the Huntsmen Academy Centre, along with Winner. The blond was seated along with them. Winner was separated from Heero and Trowa by the chair Maxwell had vacant when he had bounded from his seat in reaction to the news they had all received.  
'Um. Erm, yeah. You did. Sorry madam, it's just... well....'  
'Maxwell, you really don't have a choice. I understand you, like Winner, prefer working alone, but we have two new class members and they need to be partnered.'  
'I don't have any objections,' Winner glanced at Trowa and smiled. 'But how long will it be for?'  
Heero noted Trowa shifted in discomfort on the cushioned chair he sat in. The long, slender hands of Trowa faintly twitched on the wooden arms of his chair, as if the Third Project wanted to run somewhere. Heero studied Winner. Odd. There didn't seem to be any threat in the bright smile on the blond's face, yet Trowa was reacting as if he was facing danger. He gave Trowa an inquiring look. Trowa shook his head faintly, indicating he was fine. A flush appeared on the silent boy's cheeks.  
'Until they have sufficient skills to operate on their own against a Parasite,' answered Noin.  
Heero scowled, insulted.  
'I can handle any number of Parasites,' he informed Noin coolly. 'I don't need to be partnered with Duo and I rather not be. It's a hindrance.'  
Maxwell stiffened. He swung around from Noin to face Heero.  
'You have a problem with me?' Maxwell snapped.  
Heero didn't hesitate in his reply.  
'Yes,' he answered.  
Maxwell threw the sheet of paper in his hand onto the ground and stalked down towards Heero. Stopping right in front of Heero, the stormy faced Maxwell slapped his hands on both sides of the chair arms Heero sat between and shoved his face right against Heero's own. Their forehead bumped as Maxwell glared down at Heero. Heero blinked as he was treated to a very close view of Maxwell's burning violet blue gaze than their previous encounter.  
'Well, listen buster, you don't have a choice.'  
Warm breath caressed his skin. Heero shifted in discomfort on his chair as his skin prickled. He frowned, not liking Maxwell's closeness. It created a weird sensation in him. Heero never had a human up so close to him before. Especially one who seemed so... passionately angry. Why was the idiot upset that he objected too to the pairing? Hadn't Maxwell objected to the assignment as well?  
'We're going to be partners for a while until you get strong enough to do it on your own. Get me asshole?'  
'I'm already strong enough. It makes no sense for me to be partnered with you, especially considering how weak you are,' pointed out Heero logically to the human. 'I will go alone. You'll only get in my way. I do not wish to fight with a Parasite with a weakling. I've no wish to die.'  
Maxwell drew back. Heero founded himself relaxing muscles he didn't realised he had tensed. Odd.  
'...what?' Maxwell spoke softly. 'Pardon me, but just what did you say? Could you please repeat that?' he asked again, uncharacteristically polite.  
'Erm... Heero...'  
Heero didn't spare Winner a glance.  
'You heard me.'  
Maxwell's face went completely red all over.  
'You little fucking sonofabitch! I fucking am not-!'  
A chair clattered to the ground as Winner jumped up and grabbed Maxwell before the long hair boy could reach for his customary weapon, positioned too close against the wall beside Heero. Winner pulled Maxwell back from Heero. Maxwell struggled violently in his hold, observed with bemusement by both Heero and Trowa.  
'Let go of me, Quatre!' he snarled in a deep, ugly voice. 'Let me get my Deathscythe! I am going to get this cunt of an asshole! Hear me, Heero boy? I am going to tear your dog shit processing hole with maggot filled glory to pieces! Nobody insults the God of Death and lives! I swear I'm going to rip your hairless balls from your-'  
'I've already undergone puberty,' Heero informed Maxwell. 'I don't understand the other half of what you are saying, but it all seems rather illogical and at best, highly improbable to me. Unless you finally develop the capacity to made sense, stop wasting air.'  
'...'  
'Good,' Heero nodded in approval.  
'Oooh- you damn fucking infested snot pus! You think I'll fucking shut up because you told me to? Well, listen here pal, because I'm your fucking trainer and your fucking ass is mine! You hear! I give the orders here, you low-'  
Heero's eyes glazed over as Maxwell began ranting again. He had told the human of his communication skills was flawed, and yet the boy still continued to scream nonsense at him. Heero noticed that Winner's face was becoming rapidly red as Maxwell's own as he exerted all effort to keep his friend still. Noin was also blushing furiously despite the fact the woman not exerting any physical efforts. In an odd move, she placed her hand over her ears and scrunched down onto her desk in a protective gesture. Alerted, Heero swept the room but found no danger. Heero frowned as he returned his attention to Noin. He pondered the mysterious action.  
'...Heero?' Trowa murmured.  
'Yes?'  
'I don't like either, but to keep our cover, we should accept orders and not question them.'  
He thought.  
'Hn...' he finally grunted in reluctant agreement.  
'And Heero...'  
'What?'  
Trowa was frowning.  
'There's nothing wrong with being a son of a bitch, is there?'  
Heero shrugged. He nodded at the frothing, raving Maxwell.  
'You're not human.'  
'....'  
'Be thankful.'  
Trowa lifted up an eyebrow.  
'I see.' The tall youth leaned further over to Heero. 'And what about the blonde girl before...?'  
Heero hesitated.  
'She's different from the others.'  
Trowa tilted his head questioningly.  
'Is she dangerous?'  
'Potentially. We'll find out.'  
Heero's attention slide over to Maxwell. The human was making an amazing amount of noise. He had enough. Heero stood up and walked over to Maxwell.  
'...and fuck your ass! You hear me!?' Maxwell snarled at him as Heero drew up face to face with him. 'I said, did you hear me-?'  
Heero's eyes dropped down to the long braid swinging violently across Winner's shoulder. He reached over and grabbed the rapidly moving braid. In a blurred movement, he shoved a length of the yelling boy's long plaited hair inside Maxwell's open mouth and tucked in the bundled rope firmly. The boy gagged as Heero slapped his hand over the makeshift gag none too gently to stabilise it.  
'Noin,' he looked down at the shocked instructor.  
'Uh... yes, Yuy?'  
'Is it mandatory for me to be paired with Maxwell?'  
'Yes, Yuy. It is.'  
Heero nodded once.  
'Then I understand.'  
Noin gave a weak, uncertain smile up at Heero, her eyes avoiding the furious violet blue of Maxwell's.  
'Oh good. I am glad this matter is sorted out. I believe you will be good partners...' her voice faltered, 'once you... adjust to each other. I understand that it will be hard, but please, just don't try to kill each other before you do.'  
'Maxwell has already tried to kill me but he failed,' Heero told Noin in a monotone. 'I doubt he'll be successful if he tries a second time. I am far superior.'

TBC.


	11. AC995, February

After Colony 995, February

Sally flicked through the files on her desk with tired determination. The giant load were the brief summaries of the current and past Parasite cases. There were a lot more on the floor, but she had discarded the files as they had not fitted the parameters she was now looking at. But the parameters she was looking at were still too broad. She had a lot to go through. It had been a fortnight since her induction into the Huntsmen, and all she had been doing was research. The electronic clock calendar on her desk informed her that it was it was now the start of a new month. A little over in the first early hour of the second month, it clicked in her mind. Sally straighten up, suddenly wide awake.  
Odin had been right. The Parasite movements weren't normal.  
Sally turned to her side and hastily pushed over one of the stacks of paper by her desk. A thick, rectangular box underneath was exposed. She picked it up and turned on the miniature hologram machine. Glancing down at the report laid open before her, she inputted several parameters into the machine. Unlike the specialised hologram map tables in the library, the small general hologram machine was frustratingly slow in computing the data. A white mist appeared on top of the machine. For several minutes, it stayed unformed before moving into the map of the L4 Colony that she and Odin had looked at previously. She decreased the area to a smaller field spectrum before keying a request for the comparison program to begin. Red and yellow circles appeared around the narrowed map. The yellow tiny circles floated around randomly, disappearing and reappearing without a pattern. At times the yellow circles would join with each other, but never for long. They soon moved back on their random path. The red mimicked the yellow in its randomness, but the occasionally joined red moved together longer, and in larger groups. After hitting a certain point on the map, the red would suddenly split or disappear. The red seemed to have a more energetic flow than the slow yellow. It joined more often with other red circles than the yellow did.  
The display on the map backed it up.  
Yet the theory still seemed too wild to be true. There was another way she could confirm it from a primary source. It was midweek, so she knew the person would be still in the Preventers laboratory. With shaky hands, she reached out for her communicator. It only took a few minutes for her to confirm her unwanted conclusion. Sally hung up and then placed her left hand over her face, wishing she could completely block the brightness of the hologram dancing before her.  
The problem had just gotten bigger.  
'Yo, want some company, pretty lady?' came a voice nearby her ear.  
Sally sighed.  
'Odin, will you stop trying to sneak up on people? One day, that will get you killed.'  
She lowered down the pistol that she had automatically pulled from her hip holster and turned to face an unrepentant, smirking Odin. The middle age man waggled his eyebrows at her as she removed the gun from below his jaw.  
'Damn, I was hoping you will pull that nice special out from your bra top, or is it only a show reserved for Parasites?'  
Sally grated her teeth. Sometimes, she wondered why they were such close friends. Sally knew well the man behind the joker's mask and Odin in turn, knew pretty much everything about her. Perhaps a little too much, but Odin was her drinking buddy so it was to be expected. Unlike many, he could handle just as many shots and glasses she consumed. Unfortunately for her, he also did retain his memory afterwards as well. When they went out for drinks, it usually was only the odd Parasite that needed to be weeded out from the places they visited. But bars and clubs were known killing grounds favoured by Parasites. There had been times when had been so many that she had run out of bullets with her regular guns so she had to resort to her hidden armoury back up. She now had an unfortunate reputation that Odin loved to tease her about. The damn pervert. Although she would never admit it, Sally actually didn't mind the teasing.  
If he called her killer stripper, it would be a different matter though. Friendship only stretched so far.  
'Get your own breasts, Odin. Then you can look in the mirror and admire all the breasts you like.'  
'It wouldn't be the same.'  
'I'll say. They'll probably as saggy and shrivelled as your middle aged balls. Thank goodness you don't keep any weapons down there, otherwise we'll all be in trouble when you have to whip it out and flash us. I am better at it, after all.'  
'I do keep a weapon down there.'  
Sally chuckled.  
'If you call a pin prick needle a weapon,' she tossed back. Sally's smile then dropped. 'Odin, I think I've found something. I don't think you're going to like it though.'  
Odin's eyes sharpened. The large, well-built man took a seat on the cleared desktop area beside Sally. He placed one hand on a mountain of files and leaned in sideways to listen. Sally lowered her voice and continued.  
'You were right. There is something strange about these second wave Parasites. The majority of their activities do display intelligence capabilities on level with the first wave Parasites during the middle period of the plague, however despite their higher intelligence, they have not shown any advances in thought or activity over the last three years at all. They don't seem to be learning, and their method of attacks has remained basically the same. Most attacks are either conducted by an individual Parasite, sometimes paired, or small groups of Parasites, usually no more than five or six at a time. However, there are more than a few outstanding incidents when they have attacked in large groups. Most noticeably the Winner massacre.' She pointed to the hologram playing on top of the black rectangular box. A large speckled display of red dots suddenly flashed up before disappearing from the map of the L4 Colony. 'If it weren't for the abilities of the heir, the entire Winner family would've been slaughtered under the assault. I spoke to Iria about it, and she-'  
'Iria?'  
'Iria Winner. She's a senior medical officer at the Preventers. You may not remember her, but she was the first introductory speaker at your Huntsmen debut. We spoke and I asked her a few questions since Iria is one of the few surviving Winners. She... well, didn't really want to discuss the incident when I rang so she didn't say much but what she did say was rather interesting...' Sally took a breath in. 'Iria said the Parasites had appeared from nowhere and eliminated everyone with a single mindedness which was unnatural- they had killed for the sake of killing. The Parasites hadn't stopped to eat any of the dead, which is drastically different from the normal behaviour of Parasites. It's like they were-'  
'Under control,' Odin finished softly.  
They both looked at the tiny rotating map before them.  
'And it's not the only time a large group has attacked. Like incidents have been rare but...'  
'Fucking spectacular.'  
Sally placed her hand on Odin's tensed shoulders and gave the man a quick hug. Odin did not look at her as she did so. The older, silver hair man kept his eyes on the tiny, bright hologram before him. A tense, dark expression had set his face into inhumane stone. She had seen Odin only once like that, and that was only for the briefest of seconds during a drunken moment when Odin had spoke of a mistake he had made once. He hadn't been clear about what it was, but seeing his face, Sally hadn't pressed for details. There was a brooding side of Odin no one knew about. Odin talked a lot about his young Huntsmen days and the Six Year war, but he never spoke about the period between. It was rumoured that the man had once been a top notch killer for hire in the underground world, but Sally didn't know. Whatever had happened, Sally knew the barrier shown in Odin's current expression was something not to be breached. Behind there lurked a darkness inside Odin that even she was afraid of.  
'Sally, I need you to inform this to Une in person. We can't risk this over the lines.'  
'Where are you going?'  
'I have to get in touch with a few people....'  
'Just don't disappear too long, you old dog. We do need you around.'  
She shot him a sharp, warning look. Odin's lips twitched as he caught it and he gave a brief nod in acknowledge of her concern.  
'If anything drastic happens, inform my Second at the Huntsmen Academy. I'll get in contact with you as soon as I resurface.'  
Sally nodded.  
'I understand. But make sure you take care of yourself, okay?'  
Odin snorted.  
'I always take care of myself. I'm the prime example of a selfish bastard.'  
Sally coughed delicately.  
'You're hardly in your prime.'

 

TBC.


	12. Chapter 12

The head chief director of the Preventers and Special Branch was very busy. Lady Une, Sally was snootily informed by the secretary, was currently in a very important early morning meeting and had specifically stated that she was not to be bothered. Sally rose up her eyebrow sceptically at the brown hair man with out of fashion sideburns. Although she visited Une often, Sally never warmed up her lackey, Nichol and knew very the feeling was mutual. As a past Preventer officer with no bureaucratic power and now a Huntsmen, Nichol didn't understand why Sally was so warmly received by Une. His irritation at not knowing showed, but Nichol couldn't lower himself enough to ask. Sally never bothered to enlighten the proud moron. Tired out from the six hour flight she had to take from the Huntsmen branch to the Preventers headquarters, she was not going to start now.  
It was not an easily explainable relationship. They had been on opposite sides in the war. Une was the military genius brain child of the old Alliance and directed large forces from her faraway position. A preteen herself, Sally fought on the side of the underground rebel faction with passion from the field trenches against Une's distant and cold tactics. Sally had deserted her former higher studies in medicine to learn firsthand the practical application of what was once only theory in the bloody field of war. No one had objected to her actions. She had been made an orphan by the war. Perhaps it was the knowledge of how final death was that led her to save Une's life on their chance meeting then. Or maybe it was fate. In the end, it was Une who committed Earth to the peace dialogue process propelled by the Colonist politician Heero Yuy. She didn't know why she saved a hated enemy, but the event marked the beginning of their odd friendship. It was a small, yet significant event buried in history, and she preferred it that way. The thought of Nichol attempting to suck up her like he did to those he deemed worthy sent a cold shiver throughout her.  
'Fine, then I'll wait in the suite until she's done.'  
With a wave, and false smile, Sally walked past the spluttering secretary and into the private suite of Une's outer office. The door to Une's inner chambers was closed, Sally noted. Une was really in a meeting. Nichol was not lying again as he was prone to do. With a sigh, she settled into one of the leather couches in the corner of the room and waited. She had tried calling Une to at least inform her of her coming , but for some reason, she could not get a direct line. Only an answering machine had replied to her frantic calls. Whoever was in the room with her, had to be very important for Une to turn off her private emergency line as well.  
The outside door slide open just as she settled herself in.  
'-not go in! This is a private-'  
Nichol's voice was cut off yet again as the electronic door closed. Sally looked up curiously as a short Chinese youth strolled into the office suite. He had black medium length hair pulled back tightly in a pony tail. His forehead was fully exposed by the severe style. Sally frowned at the clear arrogance in the new arrival's face. He looked familiar. Her eyes dropped to the boy's wrist. A hint of metal peeped out from the white sleeve of the kung fu martial artist uniform he wore. The boy was wearing metal bracelets. In his hand, he also held a very large sword. The memory clicked into place. The youth was the same youth she had met three years before, during her first training mission. He had been the pilot.  
She smiled warmly.  
'And so we meet again, Chang Wufei.'  
The boy looked taken aback by her warm greeting. He scowled and looked darkly at her.  
Sally sighed.  
'I suppose you don't remember me.'  
'Of course I do!' the Chinese boy snapped. 'I am not senile, woman.'  
Sally's eyes widened. Then she grinned.  
'That's very nice to hear, honey.'  
The boy snorted.  
'I was merely stating a fact. And the name is Chang, not honey.'  
'You don't like being called that?'  
'No.'  
'Oh really?' she drew out her words flirtatiously.  
He flushed red. Sally's grin grew wider. She decided to stop with the teasing. It was clear the boy was uncomfortable with it.  
'So Wufei,' she offered in amendment, 'what brings a child like you here to the Preventers headquarters? To the head office, no less.'  
'I am not a child! I am a man!' Wufei glared at her.  
Sally lifted up an eyebrow. Well, she'd be damned. The boy was pouting, in a cute, masculine sort of way.  
'I see.'  
'You are hardly a man, Chang Wufei. You are too weak!' snapped a young, female voice. 'The woman is right. You are a child. It is I who shall meet with Lady Une of the Preventers and discuss the matter with her. You are to wait outside. Your role is only that of a pilot, not a representative. That is my role.'  
The outside doors had swished open again, revealing a similarly traditionally dressed Chinese girl, only the girl was dressed not in white but black qipao. Unlike Wufei's entrance, no yelling followed her calm entrance in. The brief glimpse Sally had of an unconscious Nichol slumped across his desk gave a clue as to why.  
'You be quiet, woman!'  
'I do not need a boy to tell me that. You be quiet, boy!'  
They were both children. Sally smiled at the new girl. The girl did not smile back. Her expression was severe as Wufei's, however the charming two pigtails the girl had her short black hair tied back offset her serious expression.  
'Hello there.'  
'Are you Lady Une?'  
'Oh no. She's in a meeting at the moment. I'm just waiting for her. My name is Sally Po,' she stood up and walked to the girl. 'I am pleased to meet you.'  
Sally held out her hand. The girl looked at it but did not take it. Instead, she placed her hand on a fist and bowed instead with her hands resting together in an ancient Chinese greeting. Like Wufei, it was apparent that she too came from the traditional L5 Colonies.  
'Long Meiran.'  
Not at all offended by the girl's polite refusal to shake hands, Sally dropped her hand and smoothly replicated the action instead. As she straightened, the sharp, black eye girl gave her a studious look.  
'Do you have Chinese blood in you?'  
Sally nodded and smiled.  
'Yes, I do. I am mostly American though, and very mixed.'  
She blinked as Meiran stepped closely towards her and pushed her face against hers. The girl had to stand on her tip toes to do. It was a very aggressive and unexpected action, but Sally didn't feel at all threatened. The girl was very small and delicate looking. Sally wasn't fool enough to underestimate the girl, as she was a L5 Colony native and no doubt was trained in the ancient martial art form, but Sally sensed no threat from the girl, only curiosity. L5 was a place where mostly full blood Chinese lived. It was all too possible that it was the first time for her to meet a person of mixed descent. The twin pig-tailed girl stared up at her for a very long minute. Sally kept her face straight and bemusedly stared right back at Meiran. She was a very odd girl.  
'For someone who has the bastard blood of the fat and ugly forked tongue race, the blood of a true warrior still runs strongly through you.'  
Sally didn't know whether she had been insulted or complimented as the Chinese girl stepped away from her. A snort sounded from behind her.  
'No woman can be a warrior. They are too weak,' Wufei stated.  
Now that was a definite insult. Sally only shot Wufei a warning look. Meiran had a more drastic reaction. With a practiced move, the Chinese boy gracefully dodged the several knives that suddenly appeared in the expensive teak wood of the wall he had been leaning against.  
'I told you to be quiet, boy!' Meiran snapped.  
The door to the suite opened again. Sally looked up at the swish. A group of black suited men silently began filing in. Sally frowned as she looked at the unusually mixed collection of Preventer ID badges. She saw the still unconscious Nichol outside and sighed. It looked like it was up to her to question the men. Although Une made a rare exception in her case, the Preventer chief generally did not accept visitors beyond high level officers and those with special rank. None of the motley crew fitted into the description, save for the fifth man at the back of the crowd. She glimpsed the advanced ranking on his badge when the man entered, but the officer had been slunking to the side so she had not seen his face properly. He was the only one in the black and brown uniform of the Preventers instead of the unusual formal black suits the others wore. Her neck prickled. None of the men had said a word or had looked directly at her. They were acting damn strange.  
'Excuse me but...'  
Sally stopped as she recognised the sixth man who stepped in. Trant Clark? She blinked. Trant was a junior lab technician, not a senior medical staff member. He was the assistant to one of the morticians, she recalled. The man was a rather morbid fellow. One she didn't like very much, but luckily had little contact with as Trant worked mostly at nights, not daytime. His work uniform was not a black dress suit either. Working with corpses required a full smock to keep messes to a minimum. It was not like Trant would go ballroom dancing with the corpses, unless he was more sicker than she thought.  
'What are you doing here?' she asked, her voice louder than intended.  
The men looked at her. Trant's thin, gaunt face swivelled towards her in unison with his companions. His dark blue eyes were vacant and unfocused, with bare dots for pupils. Inhuman eyes. Sally hissed and pushed the girl before her to her side. She placed her body protectively before Meiran and whipped out her leg holster pistol.  
'Get back!'  
The man's head began to blur into sludge-like flesh. It splattered in the next instant as Sally fired straight at the Parasite. Sally and Meiran both rolled back as all the heads of the group that came in began to melt and change into a new form. Sally continued firing as she rolled opposite to Meiran, taking two Parasites down with her awkward, wild shots. One of the two got up again and she cursed. The bullet had only grazed its head. She needed a full on shot. With her next aim, she got it. Sally flipped back up on her knees and attempted to take another shot.  
A fast blur approached her.  
'Heck!'  
Sally jerked back. She barely ducked underneath the two razor sharp blade-like arms as it swooped above her face in a pincher like move. A loose curl of her hair was caught by the alien blade and was cut from her as she fell back. Sally shot down the attacking Parasite from the ground before she rolled back up again. Sally didn't have time to curse her ruined hairstyle as she had to move from her position to avoid the next incoming attacks.  
'Meiran!'  
Sally heard Wufei bark out behind her. Flattering herself against the floor again to avoid another sharp Parasite arm speared by a jutting bone, Sally saw the Chinese boy reached over and grasped the knives in the wall. In a blur, the glittering knives were aimed right back at Meiran. Without blinking an eye, the tiny girl leapt up and in two swipes, caught each and every one of the knives by the handles. She sent the first one spinning towards the Parasite intruder just as she caught the last of knives. As soon as her tiny foot touched the ground, she was sprinting towards the Parasite group.  
'Careful! There's more coming in!'  
Sally fired another shot. It blasted through and exited the head of the tentacle Parasite before it had a chance to attack again.  
'Let them come!' the little girl shouted. 'I will show them the fury of the Dragon Clan.'  
The neck of the Parasite dressed in Preventer uniform was neatly sliced clean off by the blade she had thrown. Easily avoiding its arm's last stabbing move as it fell down in death, Meiran moved onto the next two Parasite that had entered the room. In a spinning move, she sent the two Parasite's heads flying in opposite directions. She jumped on the shoulders of one of the decapitated Parasites and back flipped back. More Parasites were coming in.  
Sally swore and aimed her gun at the new, still forming arrivals. In several consecutive shots that boomed out of her semi automatic handgun seemingly as one, she neatly took out a whole row. The bodies piled up in the electronic doorway. They were slammed out of the way by giant flesh arms laden with pin like teeth and swallowed up. A fat, overloaded Parasite wobbled into the room. Sally took off its head with another shot. She ran towards Une's door. She had to warn the chief. A Parasite site shot out and stabbed at the wall before her. Damn it, the fat thing was still alive. Sally lifted up her gun and aimed at the fallen Parasite. Her gun clicked on an empty chamber.  
'Hell!'  
A fiery pain lit her right shoulder as one Parasitical arm ripped through her. Gasping, Sally dropped her gun as her right hand suddenly went nerveless.  
'Oh hell!'  
She was pinned to the wall by the Parasite's arm. With her left hand, she pulled out the gun she kept at her back and shot the twin arms off the dying Parasite. Then she shot its head again, blowing the remaining nerve centre completely away. It rolled to the side of the door and half spewed out the bodies it ate from its remaining neck stump in red, bloody chunks and slimy acid. Ignoring the pain it caused her, she ripped the now limp Parasite arm from her shoulders and slammed her hand down on the intercom button besides Une's doorway.  
'Une! We're under attack here! Are you okay? Answer me!'  
'Attack!?' came a shocked, electronic voice.  
'Don't come out! It's dangerous. We're fighting a squad of Parasites here.'  
'What!?'  
'Just promise me you won't come out!' Sally yelled. She aimed her one good arm and shot at a moving Parasite. 'Not until we take these suckers down!'  
Sally gasped as a Parasite arm whipped out and smashed the intercom. She dove away from the arm, shooting at the deformed Parasite. Sally cursed her shoulder injury. Shooting with her left hand was a lot harder than shooting with her right. She couldn't control her aim as much. More Parasites had come through the door. A flash of white moved in the corner of her eye. A black blur accompanied it.  
Wufei had entered the fray. In complex acrobatic moves just as fast as the blur that was Meiran, the Chinese boy began to slice the necks of each of the Parasites. With a few, he also took off half the shoulders. The numbers of the Parasites flowing in the room was shocking. From everywhere, came inhuman arms sharpened into razor sharp blades. A mess of Parasite arms sliced the air. Sally stopped shooting and kept to simply dodging the lethal reach of the Parasites. It was hard to dodge and shoot targets with the two figures dancing their lethal routine. Their streaks were everywhere; one white and one black. It was an amazing yin and yang display of martial arts skill. Wufei and Meiran blurred at times into grey before they separate out into their respective solid colour, leaving behind only firework bursts of red to splatter the rich wood of the room in a flowerlike pattern in the area where they had met.  
Sally was half torn between wanting to watch the beautiful and lethal spectacle before her and her own instinctual desire to survive. As much as Wufei and Meiran were making inroads in the incoming Parasites, more than a few still managed to make it in. They were being driven further and further towards the middle of the large suite room and the tables and chairs placed around the area were starting to make it harder to dodge the attacks of the Parasites.  
She began shooting again, concentrating on the Parasites on the outer edges of the fight. Unable to control her shots to her normal standard, Sally had to shoot more to down her targets. Her gun soon ran out of ammunition. Sally reached down for the ammunition clip she usually kept in her jacket pocket, and found the pocket empty. Damn, she had left it at the front desk. Facing a Parasite attack inside the Preventers headquarters wasn't something she came prepared for. She had left most of her outer arms and heavier equipment at the front entrance reception to be polite. Even if a person was a Huntsmen, to go around visible armed to the teeth inside was frowned upon inside the Preventer headquarters as it gave an impression that there was security lack.  
It was the last time she was going to be polite in that fashion, Sally decided as she jumped back from an attacking Parasite arm onto a couch. She narrowly avoided the gaping mouth filled with sharp, pin like teeth which stretched out to eat a piece of her. It ripped into across the back of the couch instead, tearing up the leather covering and foam beneath. Sally slipped her boot knife and threw the blade at the Parasite. As the Parasite went down in a burst of blood, Sally ripped her shirt open. She took out the spare ammunition clip she had kept down her large brassiere with her right hand, ignoring the burning pain she felt from her shoulders. Slotting the clip in, she aimed her gun again at the thinning, incoming Parasites, and began shooting again.  
'Put your clothes on, woman!' came aghast, horrified voice.  
Wufei. Sally almost rolled her eyes as she dodged yet another dangerous Parasite tentacle. A person would think he had never seen a pair of breasts before.  
'Wufei! Keep your eyes on the enemy, you fool!' shouted out Meiran. 'To be distracted in a fight! You are such a weakling!' the girl started to rant in Mandarin.  
Sally grinned as she hit the floor and rolled. Why. It looked like Meiran liked Wufei quite a bit. There was no mistaking her jealous tone despite the girl's attempt to cover it with justified anger. Heh. They were a couple. That would explain why they fought like cats and dogs. They were perfect for each other. She came up behind a single couch, and popped her head up. She aimed her gun as soon as she spotted a target. With a satisfying click, the Parasite's head exploded. She had gotten it dead on straight. Her left aim was improving.  
Sally quickly surveyed the situation. The Parasites had stopped coming through the doors. Only seven were left. Most were dead and lying still on the floor. Some were in the stages of death and still active and dangerous. Sally was the Huntsmen, but the two young civilians had taken most of them. She would have to move faster to keep up her end. Sally smiled. She was more than willing to rise up to the challenge. She concentrated her efforts in adding the living Parasites to the dead body count. Wufei had grabbed the two Parasites to the far left. She aimed and took down the centre Parasites as Meiran moved to the right. Two, three-  
'No! Meiran!'  
A shout rebounded through the suite. Almost in slow motion, Sally watched in horror as the arm from one of the dying Parasites on the floor clawed a red, bloody hole into the heart of the small Chinese girl as she leant backwards in mid-flip. A shower of blood spurted out. Her wide blue eyes met Meiran's surprised sharp black ones as the girl realised she had been dealt a death blow. The arm dropped from her chest and fell back limply beside the now completely dead Parasite as Meiran continued in her graceful arc and landed on her feet. The girl then turned and sliced off the head of the last Parasite nearby her. It was only then that Meiran swayed before toppling to the ground.  
'Meiran!'  
Wufei was screaming. The Chinese boy sprinted towards the girl. His white blur caught the drifting black of Meiran. Wufei clasped Meiran to his chest.  
'No Meiran! You are not to die! It is not your fate to! You are too strong!'  
The blood of Meiran rapidly soaked the pure whiteness of Wufei's qipao, belying his words. The girl smiled up at him.  
'It seems it is to be my fate. I was too weak.  
'Meiran!'  
Sally bit back a cry as she saw two arms form from the still dying Parasite beside Wufei and Meiran. Wufei, lost in concern, did not seem to notice it. Sally shot down the two arms with rapid shots.  
'Fool...' Meiran's voice sounded faint even in the silence that followed the bangs. 'Stop your useless crying and be strong... for aren't you a man?'  
'My Nataku, you are far stronger than I will ever be.'  
Meiran smiled.  
'Wise... fool....' Meiran ran her hand down Wufei's face and then shoulders. She rested her hand on Wufei's heart. Red had stained his entire front from the blood that leaked out from Meiran. Wufei's white qipao was now crimson.  
'You cannot die!'  
Meiran's smile grew brighter.  
'But still a fool...' she whispered weakly. 'You must let me go.'  
Meiran's eyes closed and the girl slumped. Her hand limply fell away from Wufei's chest.  
'Nataku!'  
The grieving pain in the howl that tore through the suite made Sally's own heart ache as if she had too, been stabbed through the heart. Sally blinked back her tears.  
'Wufei...'  
A dark shadow suddenly loomed in the doorway. Her eyes widened. The Parasite Meiran had taken down had not been the last one.  
'Watch out!' Sally shouted in panic as she shot at the Parasite.  
The Parasite ducked the shots. Its head rapidly formed into a giant, teeth filled tube. The Parasite's new mouth dove towards Wufei's head. The Chinese boy grasped his sword. With a scream filled with Chinese curses, the boy leapt towards the impossibly huge mouth, clearly intend on killing the Parasite even if he was killed himself in the process. The jaws of the Parasites began to close down on the youth. Unexpectedly, a large flowing fleshy arm reached out from behind her. It forked into two branches and sliced off the top and bottom jaws of the Parasite just as the Chinese boy slit the entire throat of the Parasite from the inside.  
'What the-!'  
Sally hit the floor, rolling away from the inhuman arm. It shrunk back as the Parasite fell as it huge head topped over in three pieces. The one outer eye it had maintained in its transformation blinked once at Sally in surprise before the monstrous fish like eye burst. Wufei leapt out of the socket of the eye. He had carved the eyeball to get out from fleshy head that had fallen around him like a blanket. Sally whipped her head away from the sight of an entirely red drench Wufei, towards the source of the inhuman arm.  
The arm shrunk and stiffened in a moving mess around the arm of a tall, red hair man dressed in a formal, vaguely familiar military outfit. He stood by the remains of Une's door. The wooden door had clearly been smashed outwards from within. Her stomach dropped as Sally realised she had failed. A bitter taste filler her mouth. Une was dead. Sally swore. The Parasite attack had not been from just direction. Sally swung up from the floor and pulled up her gun, aiming the muzzle at the last Parasite. She angrily pulled the trigger.  
The Parasite dodged the bullet. Sally cursed and aimed again.  
'For goodness sake, madam, I just saved the two of you. Is this how you reply a gentleman's kindness?'  
Sally's jaw dropped as the Parasite before her spoke in coherent words.  
'You speak in sentences!'  
Was this an advanced species? Damn, that would mean the Parasite problem had become even worse.  
'Well, of course I do. I do have a mind. Please don't look so shocked. I know the arm is a bit daunting, but do not be afraid. Technically, I'm not a Parasite. You see-'  
'Die hellspawn!'  
The Parasite sighed.  
'Oh spare me.'  
A whirlwind of red appeared between Sally and the Parasite. Wufei snarled at the red hair Parasite and in a flash of silver, the broad sword was at the Parasite's throat. But the blade went no further. A long, thin white pole rather much like a fencing sword now extended from the Parasite's right arm. It lay against the thin edge of Wufei's quivering sword without moving for a second before Wufei moved again. The young Chinese stepped back and switching his attack. The man stepped elegantly back and deflected Wufei's angry sword swing.  
'Young lad, I would like to ask you to listen to me and hear me out-'  
'Silence you evil Parasite spawn! I will not listen to you! I will defeat you!'  
'What if I defeat you instead? If I do, will you then listen?'  
'You will not defeat me!'  
'Oh?'  
The two fighting males moved across the room, whirling their blades and darting strokes at each other. Wufei's strokes were fast and furious but the Parasite's blade was not less so. Sally couldn't tell who had the upper hand. They kept on moving around the floor, neither taking or gaining much ground as they fought in lightening moves. The Chinese boy was screaming in Mandarin, using curses that Sally did not herself recognise despite the fact she did have a good command of the ancient language. The Parasite fought in a cooler, more controlled way, his expression one of a long, suffering patience as he participated in the lethal dance. It was odd sight. The Parasite did not fight like an ordinary Parasite. He fought like a noble man, his clearly alien fencing blade stiff and solid as a real one as he moved. Sally began to frown. Perhaps the Parasite... wasn't a Parasite? He wasn't fighting like a normal one. If not, why was his arm...?  
In a flash, the taller, well built man took advantage of an unseen hole in Wufei's defence. Sally almost missed the moment. The sword Wufei held was knocked away from him and suddenly the man had his Parasite arm sword as his throat. Wufei hissed in anger.  
'Kill me. I will join my Nataku in the Heavens.'  
'My dear lad, I do not intend to harm you. I am not an evil man, merely one that is often rather misunderstood, I am afraid. I understand you are harbouring a rather strong urge to eliminate all the Parasites in this universe, and I for one, am not going to stop you on your mission but you must realise that I am not, I repeat, not, a Parasite. If you kindly would allow me at least a moment in which I may present my case, you will realise this. Now,' the red hair man said tiredly, with a little bit of irritation, 'can you please spare me your ears?'  
'You may take and eat my ears, but as long as I have breath and am in this world, I shall seek vengeance for their loss and there will be a day when I will take more than that from you,' Wufei vowed. 'If you do not kill me now, you are a fool.'  
The man groaned.  
'My lad, I believe you are the fool. Lady Une, could you please explain it to the lad? I am weary.'  
The man withdrew his sword away from Wufei's throat.  
Sally's head snapped back to the doorway in shock. Une was alive? Relief swept through Sally as she saw the brown hair Preventer head step through the door.  
'Une...'  
Une nodded at her and smiled at her relieved expression, before the woman turned a serious gaze on Wufei.  
'Boy, he is not your enemy.'  
'....' Wufei's mouth tightened.  
'Une, Wufei is not a boy. He is a man,' Sally corrected. 'She,' Sally looked at the still body of Meiran, 'had made him so.'  
'Oh. I see.' Une walked over to the Chinese youth and held out her hand. 'Then young man, stand up, for we need you to be strong.'  
Wufei ignored Une's hand. Without looking at anyone, Wufei spoke from his kneeling position.  
'I am already standing. Until I am dead, I am not fallen.' Wufei lifted his head up. There was clear arrogant pride in his face as well as glistening, unwept tears. 'I will triumph over evil. I swear this by Nataku's name!'

TBC.


	13. Chapter 13

It was nearing noon but they were still all dressed in their same early morning outfit. Une was the only one who was spotless, her brown Preventer suit perfectly pressed and her shoes changed. His own tall black boots were crusted with blood from the time he stepped out into the mess. There was an unfortunate smear of red also on his cuffs too, he noticed. Treize Khrushrenada rubbed absently at the stain, to no effect.  
The Huntsmen woman, Sally, had her shirt loosely closed again with the few buttons remaining on her torn shirt. Thick white bandages were visible underneath the gaps in her torn top. She had declined the offer of another shirt. The blonde Huntsmen was now armed with all of her tools, and had borrowed more. She wore weapons in sheaths both above and below her tattered shirt. A layer of ammunition rounds rested on her left shoulder and she kept a machine gun in her lap. Treize counted five grenades connected to a belt strap. The woman, he thought, was perhaps overly paranoid. But then again, she did not have the advantages he did with his ability. Maybe it was basic common sense. The lack of security at the Preventer's headquarters had been shown to be of extreme concern.  
The black hair boy, Wufei, looked at him suspiciously as the Chinese settled down into his own seat. He was the dirtiest of the four present in the room. His qipao was scarlet and sticky with blood. Even now, his clothes were slickly wet. The youth had just returned from delivering the female corpse from Une's destroyed office suite to Preventers' private morgue himself. He had refused to let any other touched the young girl's body. The only clean item the boy had was his sword. Wufei had wiped it and it now rested against the back of his chair, the bottom tip of its sheath angled diagonally away from the slowly forming puddle of blood beneath his chair. It was lucky the conference room chosen was tiled, Treize noted. Although it likely wasn't really luck. Une had a good practical side to her. It looked like that too hadn't changed throughout the years since he last saw her.  
The last one standing, Treize gave his small audience a formal bow and seated himself on the icy cold metal chair beside Une. Treize adjusted his blue military coat and pretended to smooth out an invisible crease in his white trousers before he met the gazes of the two seated direct across from him.  
'I am Treize Khrushrenada,' he introduced himself. 'Formal officer of the United Earth Sphere Alliance's OZ Special Forces.'  
'OZ was completely eliminated by United Earth Sphere Alliance when the division attempted to rebel and take over the world themselves. All OZ officers were privately executed before the war ended. The Alliance had been strict and thorough. There's no possible way they would have missed the leader of OZ himself. You're a walking dead man,' Wufei gave Treize a hardened look.  
'Very true. I am indeed.' Treize arched up one partially forked eyebrow in surprise. 'I see that you have rare access to classified information. The whole event was supposed to have been an internal military secret. Not many know even about the existence of OZ in the first place,' Treize smiled. 'I see that the spy network of L5 had been very active during the War. I presume it is still just as active now. Is that why you are here?'  
'Explain yourself first General- why are you here and not dead?'  
Wufei was not swayed. Treize had not expected him to be. Intelligence shone strongly in the black depths of the L5 Colonist. He expected a battle of wits with the youth would be like the fierce battle of swords they had. Treize had perfect confidence in his skill, but Wufei would provide an amusing challenge.  
Treize chuckled.  
'I am technically dead on all records, my dear lad, preciously because I am dead.'  
Sally looked puzzled.  
'What do you mean?' the Huntsmen woman asked.  
'I was privately executed in AC 988, by a fireman's squad. My last memories of my former life was of being tried by an unfair martial court and then shot to pieces scant minutes later in front of a cheering crowd of fat, pompous asses who occupied the highest levels of the former United Earth Sphere Alliance.' Treize smiled thinly. 'As to why am I alive now? Frankly, I really don't know. You have to bear with me because I cannot help be anything but vague. It is a little hard to be specific and knowledgeable about world events you see, when you have just awoken up only recently, and are trying to adjust to the fact that seven years have passed and the world has changed a fair bit from the way you remembered it. Peace is a very unfamiliar thing to a war general, you see. Well, relative peace between humans. I am not sure what to make of the Parasite plague. Although, considering I do have this,' he lifted up his right hand, 'it is clear I have some sort of connection to whatever madness is going on. I was discussing this with my dear little, well, not so little any more but still very dear Une here regarding the matter but unfortunately we didn't have much time to go over the matter before... this morning's surprise.' Treize lowered his lashes. 'So now that I've shared my story, would the grand representative of the universe's largest spy empire please shed some light on the reasons for his presence here?'  
'You're a spy?' Sally's head whipped to face the Chinese youth.  
'Or at least he should have had the training of one, since he is a L5 Colonist and intelligence gathering is a notorious not so secret hobby of theirs. The founders of the L5 Colonies, and current ruling family, the Dragon Clan are the leaders in spying, espionage and the like. They had quite a good reputation space wide, and historically, they are even older than the more well-known and famed, all encompassing Winner Enterprises network. I believe only Romafella and perhaps the Barton Security Service can lay claim to have origins as old as the Dragon Clan, but their territory is far more limited. By the Dragon Clan's noble engraved arms on your sword pommel, I can see that you are no mere lackey, but perhaps... family of the great leader Ron Shirin? But since your surname is Chang and not Long, I may be mistaken-'  
'Long?'  
He read recognition in Sally's eyes. Following a hunch, he lightly nudged the young Huntsmen woman into revealing what she knew.  
'The great leading noble family linage of the Dragon Clan,' he answered.  
'Then Meiran was...' Sally's eyes widened.  
Ah. So it had been the girl. She too, had been dressed in the traditional clothing of the L5 sector. Yet the Chinese boy before him had too much arrogance and confidence to be a mere lackey.  
'I see. You must have been the supreme warrior of your people to be honoured by the hand of the maiden heir.'  
Wufei hissed.  
'It is not of your concern.'  
'Pardon me. Others too have often complained about my meddling habits,' Treize stated with a bland smile. 'It is one of my irritating aspects that I enjoy. But fear not, I mean no disrespect by it. Ron Shirin is a rather old friend of mine. Quite a delightful old woman with one of the sharpest minds around,' he did not bat an eyelash as suddenly a large broad sword appeared at his throat, 'rather like your sword here,' he continued on smoothly, without a pause. 'As much I admire the view of the exquisite workmanship viewable from this wonderfully close angle, I really wish you would stop doing that. I do need my head on my shoulders if we are to discuss important matters.'  
'I don't trust you, Parasite.'  
Treize's eyes narrowed. He allowed his pleasant mask to drop briefly.  
'I am,' he said softly, 'human.'  
He looked up frostily at Wufei. His icy blue eyes conveying his cold anger in silence. Twin sloe black eyes stared back at him. At first defiant and anger, they then began to waver as Treize continuously glared up at the Chinese boy. Wufei then drew back. He lowered his sword down.  
'Even so, I still don't trust you, Khrushrenada,' he spat out. 'OZ slime.'  
'Oh please, call me Treize. I believe we will get to know each other very well in time. Perhaps we should reserve pet names for each other until later when we are a little more familiar with each other?'  
Treize smiled as the Chinese boy's face grew stormier.  
'So Chang,' Une broke in. 'What news do you bring from the noble Ron Shirin?'  
Wufei looked in distrust at Treize then hesitantly at Sally. Une caught his uncertainty.  
'It's fine, Chang. You may speak. You have my assurance that both of these people are very trust worthy.'  
Wufei scowled, clearly not liking Une's veiled orders, but he complied.  
'There is a growing evil which seeks the life of our great leader. Since the evil has spread far and wide, it has grown to such an extent that our forces no longer prove adequate enough to fight against this unseen enemy. Our leader Ron Shirin had deemed it necessary for her withdrawal from the public to prevent detection from the evil forces at large, but our leader is still determine to fight this evil. Meiran... was sent to provide a mode of contact with our great leader if needed, but...' the boy swallowed. Grief flickered across his face before his mask once again hardened. 'I will now take over the task to fight this evil!'  
'Evil?'  
'Wufei means the Parasite plague,' Sally spoke up. 'The Parasites not just simply killing people randomly.'  
'You mean to say someone is directing them?'  
'The evidence suggests so. The squad of Parasites before was sent to kill you and anyone who interfered with their mission. They were an organised group. Before I left for the medical centre, I examined the badge of the Parasite in uniform. The ID was real, and the face I recall the Parasite wearing before did match it. The real agent was reported alive at least until late afternoon, yesterday. A couple of the clean up crew knew the guy.... No one knows where he is now, but I believe the chances of him turning up alive somewhere is no doubt... slim at best.'  
'If it is as you say, that would mean that Parasites would have to have highly intelligent minds than previously thought-'  
'Or someone or an organisation or thing with such intelligence is manipulating them. They were clearly acting outside of ordinary.' Sally lowered her voice. 'What normal Parasite would ignore an unconscious, visibly defenceless and very edible human a mere metre away? Nichol is in the medical room now due to the concussion he got from the blow Meiran gave him- not because he had to fend off twenty or so Parasites! The Parasites completely ignored him. They fought to get to you! I doubt they were acting on their own initiatives. Compared to their normal attack style, they were more organised but they were very damn stiff- as if they were mobile puppet dolls on strings. For whatever reason, you and Ron Shirin and are now targets.'  
'The despicable force seeks to reign through whatever means. It is evil!'  
'Indeed,' Trieze agreed.  
He caught the flash of surprise across Wufei's face.  
'To dehumanise war is a violation of nature itself,' he explained. 'However desperate, mankind never must betray the laws which make men man, for to do it would debase humanity to a mere, meaningless existence. That is the ultimate condemnation of the worst kind. War must create meaningful death- not useless slaughter.'  
A brief, uneasy pause followed.  
'Do we have an idea to who or what we're fighting against?' Une asked.  
Sally bit her lip.  
'No. We don't know anything about the puppet master pulling the strings. Odin's looking into it, but we're going to need all the help we can get.'  
'Odin you say?' Treize looked with interest at Sally. 'Do you mean Odin Lowe is with the Huntmen Clan?'  
'He's the leader,' Une explained softly beside him.  
A short chuckle escaped him and he smiled broadly.  
'Well I must say that is quite a surprise. I didn't peg him as the type.'  
'You know Odin?'  
'Oh yes I do know the crafty old man indeed. We were rather close when I was but a young little fellow. Ending up on the opposite sides of the war did put a bit of a damper on our relationship though. Odin always did have a problem separating business from personal ever since that incident. I dare say I'd like to see him in person but I must say to be presented with such a beautiful partner in his stead is perhaps a better sight for the eyes than that devilish old man.'  
'Thank you Treize, I hope I didn't disappoint you too much.'  
'You do not disappoint me at all. Quite the contrary in fact.'  
He felt Une stiffen beside him. Ah, jealousy. Une had always been possessive of him, even as a young child. It was heart warming, to know that there were a few things in the world that still hadn't changed. Treize smiled and captured her hand with his. Lifting her delicate hand to his lips, he kissed her skin. Une's hard gaze briefly melted for a second before her normally stern look came back again. Treize allowed her to remove her hand and straightened in his seat. Wufei's glare had grown darker. It was filled with disgust at the gesture. The Chinese boy was clearly a man in the art of fighting, but it looked like he was merely a boy in the art of love, Treize observed.  
'There are a few more questions which face us though, than the all too important one of whom is the mastermind behind these unusual Parasite attacks. One of these is what are their motives, and,' Treize rose up one forked eyebrow as he leant back casually in his seat, 'if they were after Une, why did they decide to try to assassinate her now? They could have done it at any time.... Unless on a slim chance, the target wasn't her, but me, however I am naught but a rather dead man buried and forgotten by time. It's not like many know of my reawakening anyway... at least, not yet. So since that is out of the equation, if we were to think along more logical lines, a possible reason could be that maybe their plans to take over weren't ready until now?'  
His ponderings were met with utter silence. Trieze smiled in the heavy atmosphere, enjoying the moment fully.  
'Perhaps we should begin to solve this puzzle by drawing up a list of possible power hungry suspects vying for control of the universe? I'm sure Odin would also working on that at his end too. We can make a general list of suspects to keep an eye on which we can compare with Odin once he's surfaced from his wanderings. And please everyone, do not look at me like that. For once, it certainly isn't me.'

TBC.


	14. Chapter 14

The equipment room was one of the largest in the Centre. It was the main stockpile for its location at the end of the West wing. The hallway towards it was divided into visible blocks cut off by several open door frames every fifty meters. The section was an internalised compartment. No sunlight played through windows, only searing bright, artificial lighting lit the paths leading to and inside the stockpile room. The heavy steel door entrance which separated the depressingly grey corridors from the room opened easily enough with a swipe of the card Noin swept through a semi hidden slot and a quick flash scan.  
Heero was directly behind Noin. Trowa was at his back, offering a protective presence to the unease of having the presence of humans at his back. The other newcomers to the academy were with them. After a two hour talk, they were undergoing a full tour of the castle the Centre was. After many twists and turns, all of the new arrivals were confused, save for the two at the forefront. Heero had constructed a complex mental map in his head as did Trowa. They both knew they were back to near the beginning of their tour.  
'There are other more specialised equipment rooms, but students are restricted to using the main rooms. However,' Noin swept her hand around, drawing the attention of the large crowd of new arrivals towards the many boxes and carts of weapons and ammunition present in the bright, fluorescent lit room. 'Everything pretty much is packed in here. You have free use of most of the equipment, but the white wall lockers there and there, as well as here and over there contain weapons that are exclusively for the Huntsmen....'  
He had thought the introduction to the school to be over during the first day, but it wasn't. He and Trowa had been summoned from their dormitory room in the early hours of the morning to gather for the second group orientation session. The loudness of the broadcasted call did not wake their roommates. But then, Maxwell and Winner had not arrived back to the room until well into the night. They had been tired out from whatever long activity Maxwell had dragged Winner to after yesterday's private meeting with Noin. Although he didn't know what they did, probably energetically training, it exhausted the braided idiot enough that he had not said a word to him. He only scowled once in Heero's direction before he crawled into the bunk below him. After a muffled swear word and a thump, he heard snoring. The fool had no grace whatsoever, unlike his blond companion, who had spared a weary smile at them before quietly lying down and slipping off into sleep without the bull like snorts Duo had expelled before settling down.  
As sleep was unnecessary for him, Heero had spent the night tapping on his laptop in darkness after Trowa had turned off the bedroom light the two had neglected to. He caught Trowa staring at Winner with a strange expression, but when the Third Project sensed his questioning glance, the tall youth looked up and shrugged at him. Trowa had then drifted out of the room to hunt in the snowy wildness outside.  
Soon afterwards, the noises from the humans in the room had started. Heero had managed to ignore most of the muffled sobs and moans of pain that were emitted from Winner and Maxwell, but when Maxwell had began trashing around in throes of a nightmare, the violent swaying of his own bunk positioned above Maxwell's had made it impossible to continue on with his activity, so he had spent time glaring at the walls until Trowa had crept back in hours later.  
Trowa was fortunately beneath Winner and soon slept. Although he'd been just as noisy in his moaning, unlike Maxwell, Winner stopped earlier on. When Trowa had returned, the blond had lain silent and still in his upper bunk. In the faint moonlight trailing through the window, Heero had seen the wetness on the boy's cheek from his vantage point. Winner cried in his sleep. Not kick out and lash out like Maxwell did. The forceful blows he had received to the bottom of his bunk had been distinctly uncomfortable. He was relieved Maxwell had finally stopped after his one last scream. Yet somehow, the dead silence until dawn had too been discomforting.  
Maybe Maxwell cried too, like Winner did? It didn't seem likely. Why did it matter anyway?  
'...ends this . Heero Yuy and Trowa Barton, you two are to remain here. The rest of you are dismissed for now, but I want you back in the lecture hall at thirteen hundred sharp. We will continue then. Any stragglers to the hall will be severely dealt with, and trust me, you do not what to find out what the punishment is. That is all.'  
The group stumbled out of the room like a herd of large wild beasts, in contrast to the clockwork military like precision the crowd had when the group marched in. The other newcomers swirled past them, briefly choking the open entrance behind, before the last disappeared. There was a feeling that a void was left behind after the group left. Noin's boots clicked on the shiny floor surface beneath as she walked up to them. Her steps echoed in the almost empty room.  
'Your partners will be here shortly to lead you to your first training session. I understand that you feel very confident in your fighting abilities and I have no doubt you are use to facing and fighting against Parasites, but, I am ordering you to please work with your partner! It's for your own benefit,' Noin warned.  
Heero nodded tightly.  
'I understand,' he grunted out.  
A split second later, Trowa suddenly sneezed.  
'Are these the new additions to the advanced class?' came a rich, cultured voice. 'They looked to be exceptionally fine, outstanding young men.'  
Heero's head jerked up at the sound of the voice. He had not sensed the entrance of the man in the white noise of the group that had exited. His nostrils flared as he breathed in the manly cologne that drifted towards him. There was another sneeze from Trowa beside him, this time a smaller one. The Project Three youth was super sensitive to scent and it was clear by his tight expression that the fox in him strongly disliked the over powering cologne.  
'Zechs! I mean, Sir Merquise.'  
'Zechs is fine, Noin. You needn't be so formal with me,' chided the newcomer.  
'I am merely a lowly training officer,' Noin said primly. 'I am beneath you.'  
'Only because you allow me to be where I am.'  
Noin flushed red. The long blond hair man smiled. His lips were the only part of him which indicated his expression. His waist length platinum blond hair trailed down from underneath the odd, silver helmet that extended over half of his face. The glass at the two sharp visuals was reflective, so the mask effectively hid the man's thoughts from the world. Heero didn't like the unpleasant feeling it gave him.  
'You are far more skilled than I. It is because of your support, I had made it this far.'  
The man was, in doubt, a high ranking officer. The way he carried himself was full of confidence and pride. Heero's eyes narrowed warily on the red Huntsmen coat the man wore. Below the insignia of the black triangular fox symbol, several black strips were stitched onto the man's long coat sleeve. Zechs caught his study and tilted his head at Heero.  
'And you are?'  
'Heero Yuy.'  
The man took a small step back.  
'...indeed? Interesting name.'  
'...if you say so.'  
He received a sharp look from Noin.  
'Zechs Merquise is the Second. Please show some respect!' Noin snapped.  
Second? Heero's body tensed. The man was the Second to the Huntsmen leader, Odin Lowe? Despite the fact the man made no move to use the strapped sword to his side, or the various pistols he had sheathed in his belt, Heero's instincts screamed at him to kill the man before the man killed him. Recoiling from the man, he began to change. A rough hand pulled him back behind and Trowa stepped smoothly in between Heero and Zechs.  
'Trowa Barton,' he said neutrally. 'It is an honour to meet you, sir.'  
He offered his hand. Zechs' head swivelled from Heero's dark expression to Trowa's hand. After a split second hesitation, Zechs took Trowa's hand and shook it.  
'It's a pleasure here too,' Zechs released Trowa's hand.  
Heero recognised the move as the same one Dorothy had made. Not exactly understanding what it meant, but realising by Trowa's action that Zechs was, although a potential threat, not a current one, Heero reversed his change. Nubs of a host of tiny tentacles from his palms slipped back into his flesh. More developed tentacles, hidden beneath his clothing, shrunk back as well. A few stalks had managed to pierce his shirt material within, but they only left tiny tears as they withdrew. The tears were well hidden by his grey school jacket.  
Zechs then turned to Heero and offered his hand. He blinked. Heero decided to imitate Trowa's action. He offered his hand hesitantly. His limp hand was clutched almost painfully tight by Zechs and shaken. After a several seconds of intense pressure, Zechs slowly loosened his grip, almost if puzzled by Heero's weak handshake.  
'Well... now, young men, I've like some time with your training officer, that is, if you don't mind. Noin, could you accompany me to the conference room? According to a message I've received, there will be a special visitor to the campus today, and you're part of the greeting party. If you have time, I'd like to request your presence....'  
'Oh,' Noin frowned. 'You two, stay here and wait for your partners. They should be here any minute. That is, if Maxwell's not late again,' she sighed. 'And please,' she said firmly, 'remember what I said.'  
Both Heero and Trowa nodded. The two Huntsmen officers left the room. Trowa exhaled and breathed in deeply after the door closed behind them. Heero looked curiously at Trowa. He then realised that Trowa had been holding his breath. That explained the lack of sneezes before. Once Trowa caught his breath, the tall youth tilted his head to him.  
'Heero....'  
'Yes?'  
'Don't change into your other form here, because if you do, there's no going back. Avoiding killing at all costs.'  
Heero grunted without commitment.  
'I mean it. If you're confronted, solve the problem without giving away your true self. There's more danger than you realise here. One wrong move, and we can be both be dead.'  
'They're only human.'  
Trowa looked sideways out from his long fringe with his one visible green eye.  
'They're Huntsmen. All of them.' Trowa touched his nose. 'They stink of spilt inhuman blood. It's a powerful enough smell that nothing seems to be able to cover it.'  
'We do too, don't we?'  
'It's stronger on him.'  
'...Just him?'  
'Both of them too.  
'....'  
'Be careful.'  
He grunted again, irritated at Trowa's warning tone.  
'Heero....'  
'...I'm still better,' he growled out surly. 'Remember that.'  
At his upset expression, Trowa chuckled, his long canines flashing white in the florescent light. Heero scowled at the Third Project's reaction. He would prove that he was not joking.

 

TBC.


	15. Chapter 15

Duo winched and cursed Heero again. Damn sadistic bastard just had to take the upper bunk! The wanker! He was now bruised in assorted places from lashing out in his sleep. The blasted nightmares had come again. Duo rubbed his right knee and limped painfully along the hallway behind Quatre. He leant on his Deathscythe staff heavily. They headed towards the West wing main weapons room. That was it. He would reclaim his space tonight. Duo needed the free open air space the top bunk offered. He was going to take that damn laptop off the personality-less prick and toss it out the window. What the heck was the idiot was doing with the thing before goddamn dawn anyway? Didn't he sleep? That was the second night Heero had been up, fucking around with something on his computer. He barely could get to sleep the first night because of the annoying beeps from it. It hadn't made any beeps last night- Heero must have turned the sound off- but his tapping had driven him crazy enough that he couldn't return to sleep after the nightmares.  
He could've gotten out of bed and gone somewhere, Duo knew, but he had not wanted to deal with Heero then. If he let out he was awake, chances were that Heero would have made some snipping remark about his weakness. He didn't expect any concern from the prick. He hadn't felt strong enough for it then. Not when he was still raw from the memories. It always took him some time to deal with it. In a way, waking up too early had been good for him. The time before dawn had allowed him to calm down.  
He wondered how Quatre felt. There was nothing in his brisk walk that suggested the blond was tired, or had a bad night, but Duo knew that since he had regular dosage of weekly nightmares last night, no doubt Quatre had his own as well.  
Worker once theorised that he triggered Quatre and he vice versa him. One of them would start moaning suddenly, and the other would join. Worker likened it to the sounds of mutual masturbation. In actual fact, Worker had said he thought he ended up rooming with a pair of sick sexual deviates the first night it happened, up to when Duo had begun screaming out in pain. He woke up to see Worker looking pale and concerned. Part of the concern had been for Duo, part of the concern for himself. Duo had looked down to find that he had whipped out Deathscythe during the split second between dreaming and waking. He had very nearly sliced Worker's torso into two when the boy attempted to wake him. Worker never tried again to wake him, or for that matter, Quatre. Instead, Worker had slept with ear plugs in, but he had complained they still were made noises loud enough to wake the dead. He threatened to gag them while they slept, but they all knew Worker was not that suicidal. Well, Worker had joined the dead. If they really made noises that loud, maybe Worker would come down for a visit and gag them now? Hell, why not the whole gang of their ex-room mates too? There was quite a few in and out before Worker.  
Duo shivered as he thought of cold icy fingers holding him down as he struggled against being silenced. The heavy scent of rot would follow the dead...  
Shit. He hoped Worker and the others all have a set of extra heavy duty ear plugs in their graves. He didn't need more nightmares on top of the usual reoccurrences.  
'...say Quatre...'  
Quatre paused just before the turn towards the West wing main hall. He looked towards Duo. There didn't seem to be any signs of tiredness in his straight bearing or perfectly brushed hair. It was only on closer inspection, Duo could see there was a faint hint of redness in the whites of Quatre's eyes. They were also puffier than normal. Little signs like that reassured him that his best friend was indeed human and not some sort of blown up male doll complete with big exchangeable vibrating assets he had seen selling on the corners of L2. Sex angels was the slang term for the realistic yet fantastic plastic. Quatre would be mortified if he knew just how much he resembled the blond version. Despite his blabbering mouth, Duo knew very well what to not mention. He valued his hide. And more importantly, his balls, dick and other assorted vital organs.  
'Yes Duo?' came Quatre's voice.  
The blond boy was obvious to the thoughts going around Duo's head before he snapped back. Duo gestured towards at the distant door at the end of the turn. It was the entrance to the main stockpile. Their new rookie partners were waiting for them inside.  
'Are you ready?'  
Quatre sighed.  
'No really. I hate explaining incidents like last night to new room mates. It's embarrassing.'  
Duo shrugged.  
'Get use to it. You're rooming with me, after all,' he joked darkly. 'They'd be gone soon enough and you'll have to explain it to the next lot too.'  
'Duo! Didn't I ask you to not say anything more on that ridiculous rumour!? It's just rubbish, and you know it. You're giving credit to mere superstitious nonsense. Not everyone who stays around you dies! I am quite healthy and alive, and that's proof!'  
'Yeah, but you have the similar rumour about you too, that's why we got put together in the first place- because the other guys were shit scared of rooming with either of us, and having four bunk bedrooms each a single wasn't cool with the dorm bureau. Especially when the archaic regulations require the presence of at least one room mate in order to weed out potential Parasites invaders.' Duo snorted. 'As if the second plague Parasites have hit the intelligence level of the first wave. They've centuries to go yet, and I plan to knock them all out before they advance enough to fulfil that potential.' Duo reached out and pulled Quatre towards his chest. He swapped Deathscythe to his left hand before he mussed Quatre's blond hair vigorously with his right. 'With hopefully a little help,' he added.  
Quatre elbowed him in the ribs before he could pull completely away. Not too hard, but none too gently either.  
'Okay, with a lot of help,' Duo amended. 'We're a team. Don't worry, I really don't believe in the so-called curse either.'  
Quatre's face dipped for a moment, allowing his blond fringe to cover his eyes and expression.  
'You know, if you want to be superstitious, it'd be more believable that Hirde is cursed. She hasn't been with anyone longer than two terms, and she hasn't moved rooms. I think Hirde's very lonely because of it.'  
'She doesn't seem to be.' Duo scratched his head. 'I know she doesn't get along with Relena and her crowd, so that's why she prefers to sit with us or alone in class, but she's always with other people at lunch and all that.'  
'Do you recognise any of their faces?'  
'No.'  
'That's because they always change, Duo.'  
Duo went quiet as he absorbed Quatre's words.  
'But she's lucky in a way too,' Quatre said softly. 'At least there's one person in her room who's lasted out these years.'  
Duo's face tightened.  
'I don't know, Quatre. Sometimes being the one left behind is worst. Her family also....' he caught himself.  
Quatre knew already about Hirde's tragedy. Bringing it to light again would only dredge up the dark memories the Winner heir had of his own. He caught himself too late. Duo saw an all too familiar cloud cross Quatre's face. Duo laid a hand on Quatre's shoulders. 'But I'm glad she,' he emphasised the word, 'is still here.'  
Quatre caught Duo's intended meaning and nodded. His expression cleared and he smiled a small smile.  
'The one left behind at least can change things... so others won't be left alone.'  
'We're survivors.'  
Quatre looked thoughtful.  
'I have the feeling that Heero and Trowa too are survivors.'  
Duo blinked.  
'...oh. Yeah. Me too.'  
'What do you think made them come here?'  
Duo took back his hand and shoved it into the pockets of his school jacket uncomfortably.  
'Dunno. But probably a biggie, if you know what I mean. They looked like they spilled some major blood to get here. They're in our class, after all. It's not normal for newbies to get into it direct. Like, apparently there's only been twelve people that's ever gone that way, and that's since the Huntsmen Academy began. Besides you and me, I think Dorothy's the only one to come that route since the second outbreak. Even Relena, with her lofty connections and all, landed in the lower classes before she proved herself. Anyway, it's clear that they do know how to handle themselves,' Duo admitted reluctantly. 'After all,' he flipped his hand, 'they both ooze confidence up to a point that's its sickening.'  
Quatre nodded.  
'They're not normal, are they? Especially him. He's got a certain look in his eyes that makes me nervous actually.'  
Duo's brows rose again. Heero made Quatre uneasy too? He rubbed the back of his neck.  
'Well, yeah.... That guy is freaky.' He thought of the look on Heero's face when the boy had first appeared in their room. He felt the skin beneath his palm prickled up in goosebumps. He rubbed the back of his neck more fiercely and scowled. 'I can't pin it down, but Heero really gives me the-'  
'I don't mean Heero, I mean Trowa.'  
'Trowa!?'  
Duo blinked. The guy was normal. He was a little weird, but not outstandingly so. Duo had met stranger characters. The top being that psychotic prick of a bastard that was his friend.  
'Yes, Trowa. Haven't you noticed it?'  
'Huh?' Duo's jaw was still slack.  
'His eyes. They're so vivid yet so blank. He just... doesn't seem to care. It's like looking into nothing, yet something is under there, beneath that... void. Something wild and... scary. I mean, it sounds silly but it's almost like... I can't explain it.'  
Quatre's face contorted as the blond struggled for words. The partially frustrated, partially confused and lost expression looked alien on Quatre's face. He was normally more than eloquent in his speech.  
'I just get this... weird, discomforting feeling from him. Something about him just makes my senses scream but I can't figure it out the message for the life of me. I feel like he's not quite... oh never mind. Sorry Duo, forget that I've ever said anything.'  
'Uh, yeah, okay....' Duo scratched at his head. 'Well, if it's any help, I think I know might know what you mean. I get a similar feeling too, but not from Trowa. Heero makes me.. well, you know. He makes me go nuts, and I can't figure out why. Do you think our instincts are running haywire or something? Maybe we've been spending too much time in the training rooms or something? It could be just paranoia. I mean, they clearly do have a dangerous air about them, but everyone at the Academy is a flippin' killer. Everyone doesn't think they're out of ordinary.'  
'Except Dorothy.'  
'Dorothy's a special case, and I do mean special.'  
'I think Dorothy must have picked something odd too for her to act like that.'  
'They may be your ordinary garden psychopaths, just like you and I.'  
Duo shared Quatre's opinion, he felt compelled to argue nevertheless to cover all angles.  
'Or maybe not,' Quatre said softly. 'I'm very glad that Lieutanent Noin decided to pair us with them.' Seeing Duo lift his eyebrow at that, Quatre explained. 'I thought that we should keep an eye on them... just in case.'  
'Just in case of what?'  
'I don't know. I just have a feeling something's big going to happen, and it's related to them.'  
Duo sighed.  
'I hope you're wrong, Quatre. One thing's for sure, I am not in the mood for any surprises. But like you, I get a feeling that it's a futile wish.' Duo's eyes narrowed. 'You keep an eye on Trowa's ass, and I'll keep mine on Heero's ass, deal?'  
Quatre nodded.  
'Deal.'  
'Okay, let's go check out their asses now!'

TBC.


	16. Chapter 16

They both entered the stockpile room with a combination of alert wariness and embarrassment. The area Duo and Quatre stepped inside of was broad and wide. Ten metres away, began the first rows of wire and thick metal open shelves holding an assorted variety of small weapons in no particular sense of order, from bowie knives to grenades to pistols. The floor to roof shelves was at first perpendicular to the entrance door, but they gradually angled away from it and soon lead into a maze of wire walls and room cages. Deeper inside the room, the armoury was more orderly, and the true diversity of the weapons available could clearly be seen in the many numbers of smaller storage cage rooms containing almost everything that could be imagined. Occasionally between cages, there was an open area with shelves filled with boxes of ammunition. Clusters of white, highly secured lockers were found more regularly. They alternated from left to right, broken evenly with exactly seven metres between each cluster. Right at the back of the weapons room was where the zone meant exclusively for Huntsmen usage was.  
They found Heero and Trowa standing in the mixed shelf area just before the cages began. The two boys looked at their arrival with identical expressions- absolutely none whatsoever. Duo could feel the tension Quatre radiated from beside him. He was no less tensed. Duo jerked up his chin defiantly as he met the poker faced look of the two twin weirdoes. His eyes flickered across the cool green pair of eyes and latched onto the dark, stormy blue pair.  
'If you're going to say something about last night, say it,' he growled. He leant heavily on his staff, his tired pose lending a more cranky air to his words than threat.  
Heero's eyes flickered down and up the length of Duo, taking in Duo's use of his Deathscythe as a standing aid. Then the boy deliberately turned his back on Duo, and began studying an array of swords with a bored look. Trowa gave Duo a questioning glance, then a faintly blushing Quatre, before he gave a shrug. The tall boy seemed to deem that whatever Duo spoke of didn't seem to concern him. At the lack of reaction from both of their new room mates, Duo and Quatre briefly gave puzzled glances to each other, then smiled in relief. It was apparent that they were willing to let things lie.  
With that now out of the way, Quatre sidled up to Trowa and gave him a bright, friendly look. Duo almost shuddered at the sight of it. With Quatre's angelic features and dimples, it was a charming look, but Duo knew very well that it was false. Still, Duo could only guess what was behind the too-bright facade. Quatre only adopted it when he was planning something. It wasn't at always a negative thing, but some of the memories he had of when Quatre smiled like as if the sun shone out of his hole weren't very pleasant. Quatre hadn't exactly become the Student President in his first term at the Academy by being nice. Quatre hadn't been there long enough to gain the popular support he now enjoyed. To be truthful, the blond Winner heir had been a stuck up, self piteous prick when he had first entered the academy. His snotty attitude had grated on Duo's nerves when Quatre became his room mate, and they had faced each other off over many issues.  
Quatre's luck and fortune matched his surname. Duo discovered it wasn't a pleasant experience losing to Quatre. The blond can be downright nasty sometimes. He didn't always show it, but Quatre had a cool, calculating side to him that could be extremely cruel. Thankfully, his warm and wide heart balanced that side out. Most of the time. Being apologetic afterwards didn't always quite make up the occasional moments when his darker side lashed out.  
'I hope we didn't keep you waiting long,' Quatre chirped sweetly. 'Have you chosen any weapons yet?'  
There was so much sugar in Quatre's tone that Duo wondered how the hell did Quatre made it sound so natural. He had seen people fall for the lethal tone, time and time again. After hearing it, they always seem to willing leap into the sea to drown themselves if Quatre asked it. Quatre was a siren. Even wary stray dogs and cats would be charmed by him, no doubt. And wild animals who should know better.  
Trowa took a step forward, almost unconsciously, towards Quatre at his voice. He stopped suddenly, as if catching himself. Trowa then retreated back to stand behind Heero. The messy brown hair boy gave his friend an odd look, then faced Quatre.  
'No, we haven't,' Heero answered in an even tone. He then fell silent again.  
The silence stretched.  
'Well what were you waiting for?' Duo said in exasperation. 'For Armageddon? We're taking you guys down to the training room. Fighting bare handed with them Parasites is a little rough for most people, you know?' Duo crossed his arms. 'So in other words, you two have to pick something to fight with.'  
The green eye boy nodded. He didn't look in the slightest bit offended by Duo's sarcasm. Instead he moved towards a wire wall shelf and unhooked a large, straight rippled blade off the knife rack.  
'I'm done.'  
Duo and Quatre both blinked at Trowa.  
'Um... are you sure?' Quatre asked hesitantly.  
'...'  
Trowa unhooked another knife, this time a larger one, and held it up for Quatre's inspection in reply.  
'Um...'  
It was clear the blond boy was thrown by Trowa's selection. It took a lot of skill for some one to take on a Parasite with merely two knives. The truth was, outside of Quatre, no one willingly tried to if they could help it. Dodging the alien arms of the Parasites while launching a close attack demanded agility and skill of the highest nature. And Duo knew very few people who could. Relena, Dorothy and no so modestly, himself.  
'Perhaps it might be a good idea if you take another weapon of a different variety as well? I don't mean to call in doubt your skill or anything, but until I have some idea of idea of your level, might I recommend a few extra additions just in case?'  
Quatre moved towards Trowa's sides and picked up a machine gun from a lower shelf. Smiling even more brightly, he pushed the heavy weapon into Trowa's arms so that the tall youth was left holding it awkwardly as he balanced it with the two knives he held. Quatre dipped his hand into a crater and pulled out several belts of ammunition. He looped the belts around the taller boy's neck and patted the chain of bullets.  
'There. And for back up....'  
Quatre leant in close to Trowa, using the hand he had placed on Trowa's chest as a balance to reach up on his tip toes to a shelf behind Trowa. The boy fumbled around the back of the shelf with his fingers before he pulled away with a long pistol and leather gun belt.  
'They usually keep the front gun shelf stock loaded, so it should be ready,' Quatre checked the gun and nodded. 'It is. Here.'  
He stepped away and presented the pistol and holder to Trowa.  
Trowa moved the knife he held in his left hand to his right. He took the machine gun and slipped his arm under so it hung from his shoulders from the attached strap before he accepted the offering from Quatre. There was almost a faint frown on his face as the green eye boy looked at the smiling Quatre.  
'Thank you,' he said grudgingly.  
Quatre's smile grew wider. Duo noticed it was genuine one instead of the predator one Quatre had on at the beginning. His twinkling blue eyes were no longer glassy with artificial charm but filled with genuine warmth. Then Quatre seemed to catch himself. Quatre sprang away from Trowa. His face turned away from Trowa as something akin to guilt flashed across it. Duo frowned at the glimpse, but the next moment, Quatre was facing Trowa again, his expression once again settled into the neutral mask of a charming politician, and his body language relaxed as if he had not at all jerked away from Trowa.  
Duo could not make sense of it. Neither did Trowa, judging by the befuddled look which replaced his former glower. He looked like he had been socked a punch.  
A grunt came from Heero. Duo turned to see the boy frowning.  
'I'll show you the location of the training room. Please come and follow me.' Smiling vaguely, Quatre motioned for Trowa to follow him. 'I will see you and Heero later. Duo, please try to get along,' Quatre caught Duo's eye. 'Do,' he said with emphasis, 'make sure you take care of him.'  
'Uh... yeah, sure thing.'  
Duo received a sharp nod from Quatre before the blond hurriedly moved over to the exit. After a brief hesitation, Trowa followed, his expression still bemused. Heero's hand suddenly shot out and the dark brown hair boy grabbed Trowa's shoulders as the taller passed by him, pulling him down. Duo's eyes narrowed as he saw the Heero's lips part and murmured something to Trowa. The boy's face dropped back into its usual poker look as his green eyes sharpened and blazed. Trowa straightened up from Heero. With one stiff nod, the boy detached himself and followed Quatre out.  
There was something going down with the two of them. Duo touched the tip of his nose with a crocked finger, rubbing his skin there with his knuckle. The smell of brimstone and oil whiffed faintly in the air underneath a stronger layer of various other chemical scents in the weaponry room. It wasn't an overwhelming smell, but neither was it a particularly pleasant one. And damned if he wasn't sensing something else in the air.

TBC.


	17. Chapter 17

'Well?'  
Duo gave a wide smile, although it looked more a gnashing of teeth, to Heero as he attempted to mimic Quatre's earlier friendly attitude towards Trowa. Hey, he could be charming too, when he wanted to be, right? Being friendly, despite the fact he hated the dickhead's guts, would make it easier for him to check out Heero. Heero scowled at Duo. His expression turned from stony to outright suspicious.  
'Well what?'  
'Why don't you pick something?'  
'Why should I?'  
Duo's fake, angelic smile turned more artificial. Despite his attempt, Duo looked more like he was torn between anger and constipation than anything approaching innocent. Heero's face changed from suspicious to wary, as if he was expecting that shit would come exploding from Duo's guts soon.  
'Because you and I are also going off to the training rooms, Heero.'  
'I don't need a weapon.'  
Duo dropped the act. He wasn't Quatre. Heero wasn't Trowa. And he couldn't even make a pretence of getting along with someone he did not like, nor trusted.  
'Then just how are you going to kill a Parasite?' sarcasm dripped from Duo's voice. 'With your bare hands?'  
'Yes.'  
It was the Winner luck again. Out of the two freaks to drop by the academy, Quatre was paired with only a mute Cyclops. He had to be sucker-paired with the one dickhead who was not only egotistic, but insanely delusional.  
'What are you, stupid or fucked?' Duo snapped out.  
Heero opened his mouth to reply. Duo cut him off before he could.  
'I don't care how fucking suicidal you are on your own, but when you're partnering with me, you're not going to take on Parasites with jack shit! I am not going to take you into the training rooms until you're armed. Unless you're superhuman, which I sincerely doubt, it's not a done thing, you know.'  
'Is it regulations?'  
'No- it's common fucking sense, Heero. Do you lack brains or something? Shit, I feel like I'm talking to a retard when I'm with you.'  
'My mental facilities are in no way impaired.'  
'You got me fooled. You're not normal, are you?' he growled. 'You're a flippin' - argk!'  
Duo choked as an unyielding grip of steel suddenly grasped his throat. His Deathscythe was torn from his loose grip on it and it clattered onto the ground as he was swung around like a doll. Duo was shoved over a row of stacked ammunition boxes and pinned into place. Heero glared down at him. His Prussian blue eyes were stormy with an unreadable purpose. Duo did not bother to decipher his look. His instinct to survive kicked in. He lashed out at Heero's torso with both his feet. To his shock, Heero didn't bulge. Instead, the other boy only grunted. Heero slapped down onto his right ankle, pulled his booted foot wide, and stepped into the space between Duo's legs. His grip on Duo's neck grew firm as he leaned up close. Duo attempted to break Heero's hold on his neck by wrapping one arm around Heero's elbow and the other on his wrist and twisting. It didn't work. Heero was like an immovable force.  
Click.  
Cold steel suddenly pressed against the soft skin under his jawline. The bastard must had taken a pistol from the lower rack next to them. No doubt from the fully loaded and ready basket. Duo stilled. Unfortunately now the said weapons rack was too far away for him to snatch a goodie too. Disarmed and defenceless. Fuck. That was a circumstance he had never found himself in through all his life, and ever since Heero came, this was a second time. He was didn't like the habit he was forming. Duo swore and started yelling at Heero.  
'Thought you said you didn't need no weapon. You're a fucking hypocrite too, eh?'  
Heero ignored his insult.  
'Explain. What am I doing wrong? What is not normal about me?'  
'How about, fucking everything?' Duo's eyes narrowed as he glared up at him. 'What's not normal? Being abnormal. You want a definition of what it is?'  
'Yes.'  
Ignoring the danger he was courting by his action, he poked Heero in the chest, paying no mind to the gun against his head.  
'Definition of abnormal: Heero fucking Yuy.'  
Heero blinked at Duo, clearly not understanding him. After the brief flash of bewilderment which Duo observed with surprised interest, the boy's expression once again turned unreadable.  
'Your words... don't make sense.'  
'Are you trying to make me piss?' Duo glared at Heero. 'Like, really, really piss!? Do you want that!?'  
Silence. Duo saw that Heero was processing his words.  
'Well?' he demanded.  
Two seconds passed.  
'No. I do not require your urine sample.'  
'Gaah! That's it! I had it. You have a fucked up sense of humour, pal. Either shoot me or let me up already. I don't care if you're messed in the head or whatever, but quit screwing with me. I don't like it! Don't jerk me off, and I swear this partnership will be at least bearable for the both of us,' Duo exploded. 'Shit, sometimes I think you just fell down from the sky, or something! You're unbelievably weird, violent and god damn fucking freakish. How the hell did you managed to live so long without someone killing you?'  
'I'm a survivor,' Heero said. 'I can survive anything.'  
Staring up so close into Heero's passive face, Duo felt the sturdiness behind him shift. He felt the sensation of falling. Heero's Prussian eyes seem the only source of stability as his surroundings blurred and he rapidly sunk into a deep kind of fog. He attempted to focus on the still, empty blue, only to discover it was not as stable as he had thought. It was the source of the turmoil around him. The world spun even faster as the same dreaded feeling of fear crept into his heart, like it did the day he had first seen Heero. Alien. Foreign. Strange. Unnatural.  
'Are you... human Heero?'  
His voice died on him, freezing up on him as solid as his limbs had. They wouldn't move. Heero's pupils were like a black hole, taking his will away. His Prussian blue irises were just as cold as space, if not colder.  
'...if you knew that I wasn't, would you be afraid of me?' Heero asked softly. 'Or are you already afraid of me?'  
Duo then saw it. There was a world of emotions trapped inside the black hole. It was a familiar one to him. Rage... and hatred directed at him and everything. Duo was taken aback by the intensity. His breath hiked. He was looking at something he instinctually sensed no one had ever seen before. Not even, perhaps, the owner of the inner world himself. The cold slammed him back as the shutters to Heero's soul closed as unexpectedly as it had opened. Duo was thrown out once more into the storm. A wild torrent blasted him to icy hell. Duo gasped as his body weakened against his will. He was falling again. His arms flailed up. Duo grabbed onto Heero, his hand grasping Heero's slender, firm waist as an anchor against the tipsy sensation. The gun against his jaw pressed hard against him, nudging him back into reality. Heero glared down at him. What previously was a heart stopping threatening expression now seemed mild compared to the true boiling emotions inside Heero. Heero, Duo realised, wore a mask that the guy didn't even know about.  
'I will kill you.'  
Nor, for that matter, did it seem to affect him. Heero operated on the surface of his mask alone. He was divorced from whatever darkness Duo had seen inside him. That made him... more fucked in the head than Duo first realised. The guy was as loco as two rabid lemmings in heat fighting for the love of a dead, wingless bat.  
Duo's jaw worked. For a few seconds he couldn't speak as his tongue still was frozen. It took a couple of goes, but he finally got it moving.  
'Feh,' he croaked. 'You can try to. You can't kill the God of Death, you know.'  
'Are you claiming to be such?'  
'Not claiming- stating. I run, I hide, but I don't lie.'  
Heero's glare changed to one of confusion.  
'Are your mental facilities impaired?'  
Duo grinned maniacally.  
'Well fuck yeah!' he tossed out.  
'If you yourself aren't normal, don't lecture others on how to be normal. It gives the mistaken impression that you are normal.'  
'In this fucked up world Heero, have you considered the possibility perhaps I am?' Duo quipped.  
'...that's a scary thought.'  
'Aye, aye. I'd say so too, 'cause it'd mean you'd be only a little bit freakish when we all know you're way, way- as Quatre may say the-mountain-came-to-Mohammad kind of weird.' Duo furrowed his eyebrows in a questioning expression and tapped Heero's gun hand with his finger. 'So are you, or aren't you going to pull the trigger?'  
Heero looked down at the gun, then back at Duo's face, and frowned. Cold blue eyes studied his face. Duo felt the familiar sensation of solidarity shifting behind him. Duo closed his eyes and willed the dizziness to go away. Damn it, what was it with him? Why did looking in Heero's eyes so affect him? He didn't like having his eyes shut and being all vulnerable, but to keep his head on straight, he had no other choice.  
'No,' came Heero's soft answer. 'On closer inspection, it appears to me that you don't know anything.'  
A warm current of air light danced around his lips, brushing the surrounding skin at Heero's words. Duo's eyes snapped open. He blinked. He would have jerked far back in reflex if he had any room to move. Instead, he merely ended up flattening himself down over the boxes below him in shock. Heero had moved up extremely close in the few seconds Duo had his eyes closed. Heero had lowered the gun down. It was still in his hand, but at his side. He had a studious, contemplative expression on his face. One an academician would wear while studying an interesting subject specimen. It wasn't a very pleasant look to be on the receiving end of, to be truthful. Duo would be disturbed by it if he wasn't more disturbed by mere two centimetres length of space between them. Heero was within kissing distance. Duo flushed red. He felt shit vulnerable. His hands, resting forgotten on Heero's hips, clutched Heero's waist tighter in an involuntary reaction as his fingers itched for Deathscythe. The action drew Heero's hips closer. Thigh to thigh, pelvis to pelvis, they rubbed crotches, with only two layers between them of school issued woollen trousers. It was only when his side of the equation decided to stir to life, Duo realised just how intimate their position had become. Shock and embarrassment at the unexpected flare of heat the contact created within him made him react violently. Duo right-crossed Heero in the head, and made a grab for the gun Heero held.  
In a quick twist, he had wrestled the weapon into his hands. Heero had grunted with the force of his blow, but where a normal man would have fallen, Heero took only half a second to snap back his head to glare at Duo. It took less time than that for Duo to place the gun nuzzle up against the bottom of Heero's jaw in the exact same way Heero had done to him. Now that felt good. Duo gave a feral smirk. He was the top man now. He slowly rose up from the ammunition stack, with Heero steadily matching his move, leaning backwards as the barrel nose of the pistol pressed firmly against his throat.  
'Contrary to whatever you think of me, I know plenty of shit,' he snarled. 'I'm not dumb- nobody gets the best of the God of Death for long.'  
Heero eyed him coldly.  
'If you're going to kill me, quit talking. Pull the trigger. The hammer's cocked already.'  
Duo grinned grimly.  
'Bang,' he whispered.  
Duo saw the pulse in Heero's neck jump once, before it continued to beat steadily and calmly.  
'I walk through the valley of death with no fear 'cause I'm its landowner. What about you? Do you fear death?'  
'No.'  
'Why?'  
'Because I'm still alive. Until I know what death is, there is no logical reason to fear it.'  
'....' Duo laughed. 'You are strange. I would like you if you weren't such a prick.' His Cobalt blue eyes darkened. 'Maybe I should pull the trigger and show you death? Show you... fear?'  
The two stared at each other.

TBC.


	18. Chapter 18

'Duo...?' came an all too familiar voice. 'What on Earth are you doing?'  
The tension was broken.  
'....' Duo sighed and lowered down the gun, snapping the safety back. 'Shit Relena, you sure have good timing. I'm not the bad guy here. He pulled the piece on me first.'  
Heero didn't say a word as he stepped away from Duo. His expression said it all. They would continue later, and next time, the icy Prussian blue promised him, he would not get the upper hand. Duo flipped him an upstanding middle-finger, giving Heero a gentleman's salute in response.  
'Heero, are you alright?'  
The girl rushed up to him, long hair and rose perfume trailing in her wake as she placed her hand on Heero's shoulder. Heero grunted and shrugged off Relena's concerned touch. Without looking at either of the two, he turned and walked down the aisle away from Relena and Duo. Duo saw the hurt on Relena's face as she bit down on her bottom lip.  
'Trust me, the guy's fine. Well, physically yeah, but mentally speaking.... I think the academy administrators should increase the psychological health standard for entrees to screen out suicidal nuts.'  
The dark brown hair boy whirled back with a glare.  
'I'm not suicidal.'  
'Right!' Duo rolled his eyes. 'Says boy wonder here who thinks he can take on a Parasite with his bare hands. Frankly, I really don't give a damn about you; I don't really don't give a flying shit about whether you want to die or not; but you're not going to under my care. Pick a weapon, dickhead. I'm not going to get my ass hauled over coals by Noin for gross neglect of duty.'  
Heero snorted and turned.  
'I can be just as stubborn as you,' Duo called out. 'If you're not packing, we're not fighting. It's simple as that, dickhead. You can be an idiot on your own once you're out of my hair!'  
Two grunts. Duo surmised it was Heero's version of a fuck you. He stuck his tongue out at Heero's back, not caring that Heero couldn't see him. It was the thought that counted.  
'Duo, he's your junior partner! You're supposed to be looking after him, not picking on and being mean to him. Being a training partner is a big responsibility.'  
'Relena, the guy's even more immature than I am. If you're so caring about him, why don't you take him off my hands? It's not like I asked for babysitting duties. If you become his partner, you can have your wicked way with him all you want.' Duo jerked his thumb at Heero. The boy had stopped before a distant row of guns and was surveying the selection with a distasteful expression. 'Heero's all body, and no brains, but some girls like that, or so I hear.' He plastered on a lecherous mask and grinned lopsidedly. 'So princess, how about it?'  
Relena blushed pink. Duo watched the pinkness spread with delight. Relena was usually cool and level headed, and unlike others of her elite group, Relena had adjusted to his coloured method of speaking. Her ears were no longer as sensitive as they use to be, and hence she no longer blushed as much as she used to upon their initial acquaintance. It became harder for him to ruffle her perfectly preened feathers, so he chalked up the new line on a mental scoreboard with glee.  
'Duo!'  
'Oh please don't tell me you don't want him?' Duo joked. 'You do, don't you?'  
Relena's face changed from light pink to a deep red.  
'I beg your pardon?!' she gasped, partially in shock, partially in outrage, and... mostly in guilt.  
What the fuck?  
His jaw dropped.  
'Shit. Don't tell me you do like-'  
'Duo!' she hissed.  
She poked Duo in the ribcage and looked down the aisled uneasily. Heero was still relatively nearby, although only the portion of him could be seen. He was studying something just out of vision. Duo's eyebrows shot up high as he looked at his unwanted partner, then back at Relena, his head swivelling like a gawking tourist observing road-side kill.  
'You've got to be kidding me...?' He lowered his voice. 'Relena, you can't be serious! The guy's-' Duo made circular motion around his ear with his finger, the universal motion for insanity. 'Someone took the bird out of his cuckoo clock, and all the bolts too. Like, did someone steal yours as well?'  
'My cuckoo's just fine,' Relena said tightly.  
Duo scratched his head as he adjusted to the idea.  
'Are you sure?'  
'Duo!'  
Duo grinned and blew Relena a friendly kiss. Score two. Relena's face was contorted and he could tell she was torn between attempting to fall back onto her mask of royal indifference and urge to screw with her blue blooded heritage- which included a mandatory belief in Pacifism- and take out the great, big sword strapped to her side to try her hand at killing her first man. Well, boy actually. He wasn't quite a man yet.  
'Duo.'  
The monotone voice of the boy under discussion interrupted Duo's provocation of Relena. He looked up at Heero. Then his eyes widened.  
'I've chosen my weapon. Let's go.'  
'Heero! That's a buster rifle! Only full fledged Huntsmen are allowed use those things. Put that down! Noin will have my ass if I let a newbie like you near that,' Duo swore. He moved past Relena. 'How the heck did you manage to unlock the locker containing that? It's got a code even I can't crack- well, not without time.'  
Heero evaded Duo's attempt to grab the weapon.  
'Heero, give me that! I'm going to put it back in.'  
'No,' Heero said stubbornly. 'You said to chose something, and I have. It's my weapon. You just intend to play with it.'  
Relena started to giggle. If it hadn't been such an irritating sound, Duo would have been more shocked by it. Relena, despite the airhead company she kept, never giggled. She smiled and occasionally laughed, but she never giggled. It just wasn't Relena... until now. Her hormones were making her stupidly drunk, Duo thought darkly. Someone did steal her bird, and it was the brown hair psychopath. He glared at the cause.  
'I think he's right Duo. You're drooling over it.'  
And now she was agreeing with the psychopath- as if he was-! Duo bit his lip. Okay, so he was, but it still didn't change the fact that buster rifles were off limits to students. He was trying to be responsible. He would only have played with the rifle for just a second before putting it back. It wasn't like he would have done any damage with it. It was safer in his hands than the wonder boy psycho. Duo got off the ammunitions stack he sat on and walked over to Heero.  
'Hand it over.'  
Heero cradled the buster rifle even closer to his chest.  
'No.'  
Duo scowled.  
'Look, don't all pouty with me. Using that is definitely against regulations. Those things are worth millions of credits, Heero. Millions, you hear? Get it?' he barked out. 'Even a full fledged Huntsmen can't use one without going through the bureaucratic bullshit. And we're just the bottom sludge. Just put that back...' he snarled then stopped as Relena tapped him on the shoulder.  
'Erm... please.' He nearly choked on the last word, but diplomatically complied with the look Relena shot him. The warning hand she placed on the pommel of her sword, of course, hadn't influence him one bit.  
Heero scowled, but complied. He replaced it back in the open white locker he had broken into. It was in the middle of the row of like square lockers hidden around the corner, on the main walkway. Duo studied the lock on the door flap curiously as Heero inserted the buster rifle inside the deep space within. It didn't appear broken. Duo wanted to ask Heero how he got into it so fast. He clamped down on his urge immediately. He wasn't going to ask the prick for anything. So what if Heero could get in fast? He'd hacked the lockers before anyway. Noin would have his balls if she knew what one of her top students were doing, but he'd figured if Quatre, her best and most perfect student, did it as well- and more than just occasionally too- why should he refrain? Duo didn't consider himself to be a hypocrite not allowing Heero to take the rifle. After all, rules were for newbies and wankers like Heero.  
He grinned nastily at Heero's tense expression.  
'Aww, crybaby, don't sulk.'  
Duo threw the gun in his hand at Heero. The sullen brown hair boy caught it.  
'It's not a buster rifle, but it'll do. You picked it out, so don't say it wasn't a choice of yours,' Duo smirked, picking up his Deathscythe from the floor.  
Heero grunted and stuck the pistol down the waistband of his trousers without looking at it. The movement tightened the material around his crotch, making the middle bump between his legs even more predominant. Duo could clearly see the outline of the gun facing it. For a moment he regretted that he placed the safety catch on. It would have been funny to have seen Heero made an eunuch, that very nice sized package gone with a bang.  
'Fine. Let's go.'  
Heero began walking towards the exit, passing Duo and Relena without a glance at either. Duo opened his mouth to inform Heero that he'd better get some reloads and something else before he thought better of it. One pistol was enough to meet the rule requirement of being armed whenever entering the training rooms. He was backing up Heero anyway in the room, so Noin couldn't complain. Much.  
Maybe after the bullets run out and the idiot faced a Parasite on his own would he realised he was Mister Darn Invincible. Despite the temptation to leave the fool to his own fate, he wasn't going to let Heero get killed, but a few injuries here and there? Well, the sucker will learn and he'd be right there, laughing his ass off. After all, only an impossible monster can take on a Parasite without a weapon, not a puny human.  
'Catch you later Relena.'  
He jogged to Heero's side.  
'Bye,' Relena gave a tiny wave and smiled prettily, no doubt more for Heero's sake than his own, but the other boy still had his back turned, and hence missed the whole show.

TBC.


	19. Chapter 19

Although cursed with a still sore knee, Duo made sure he got to the door earlier than Heero. Seconds before the other boy could tap open the button to open the heavy metal doors with his outreaching hand, Duo smacked it with his own palm. Heero gave him a glare at Duo's competitive smirk as they waited for the armoury's door to open.  
It didn't open.  
Heero gave a snort and reached past Duo to jab the button again. Duo smacked Heero's wrist away before he could and pressed the button quickly. The glare Heero shot him grew even more deadly. Duo only smirked even more sweetly back at him. That smirk dropped from his face as again, the electronic door did not respond.  
'....'  
'You broke it.'  
'I did not!'  
He pressed it again. The door did not swish open.  
'You did too.'  
His taunting response grated on Duo's nerves. Duo growled and jabbed several more times at the button.  
'You've have to be joking. We can't be stuck inside here.'  
Heero grunted. With a shrove of his shoulders, he pushed Duo roughly away from the door control panel.  
'Hey!' Duo stumbled back.  
Heero ignored him. The brown hair boy pulled down a metal shaft which stuck out ten centimetres just above the main button. It was the manual ride switch. After pulling it and locking it into place, Heero released it to turn his attention towards the door again. The stout boy planted his feet before the two heavy, solid doors and grasped his hands around the thick, metal bars that protruded out from each side.  
'Erm, excuse me, Heero? Even a body builder on steroids can't open both of those doors at once. A skinny kid like you trying,' he said insultingly, conveniently forgot that he was even thinner, 'is a fucking joke. Let me help. If we both take the right, maybe between the two of us we can shift it enough to get through. Shit, maybe we should call Relena on this and go look for her first.'  
'I don't need any help.'  
The boy gathered his strength and with a grunt, pulled at both of the handles. The doors screeched open. Slowly, but there was no denying that they were moving.  
'What the...' Duo stared, slack jawed in amazement. 'No way....'  
With strength such as that, was that why Heero had been so suicidal confident in his abilities? Maybe the guy could rip the heads off Parasites with his bare hands? His mind and ego shielded away from the thought. No, that would mean he'd be an inhuman freak- nobody could do that. Not even a professional elite Huntsmen. He was just stronger than ordinary, he told himself. And so what the guy had a little strength? Big deal. He was just showing off. In a real battle, strength didn't count so much as speed did, and nobody, not even the top student Quatre, ever beat him for that.  
A strange red light crept in from the door way, marking a hazy line down the middle of Heero.  
'I didn't realise the hallway doubled as a training room. Are we allowed to join in this practice, or do we wait until the man is done for our turn?' Heero suddenly asked.  
'Eh?' Duo blinked at Heero.  
Heero dropped one hand and stepped to the left. Using both his hands on the one side, he opened the side door even further so that the hallway beyond was visible. A brownish red blur streaked inside, arching up then down onto the ground in a spat. Its form shifted from a blob to a semi humanoid as it squirmed between Duo and Heero. Blood flowed freely from a wide stump where a head would have been. A Parasite before them was dying.  
'Holy shit!' Duo swore and jumped back as a tentacle shot past his face. 'What the fuck!?'  
Adrenaline shot through his body as the shock dissipated. The soreness he felt faded away to nothing. In mission mode, Duo coldly slammed the Parasite with his Deathscythe to neutralise it, then he vaulted over the body. The tail end of his braid smacked Heero in his face as he did so. Duo did not notice the look of irritation Heero shot him. He was too busy surveying the now changed landscape of the previously sterile and empty hallway beyond the armoury. The usual fluorescent white lights were all turned off in favour of a screaming red warning light. At the end of the long corridor, Duo could see that the section had been closed off. The reason was clear enough. A line of approximately fifty Parasites crammed the hallways. Some major fuck-up regarding the containment of the Parasites had occurred, and it was just his luck to be caught up in it.  
Some sucker Huntsmen had been just as unlucky- an old geezer whom he didn't recognise yet for some reason, seemed familiar. Still, despite the odds against him, the middle age man was keeping his end against the crowd of Parasites pretty well. Although the Parasites moved slow- no doubt they were lower specimens, the sheer numbers of the Parasites tipped the danger scale towards very lethal, even for an professional Huntsmen.  
But the man apparently was no ordinary Huntsmen. In moves that Duo had never seen before, the man flipped and somersaulted around the hall, keeping a perimeter of nearly five metres between him and the Parasites. He used an odd looking weapon that was like two short swords connected by a long chain, with a single spiked ball in the middle. There were two twin laser guns attached to his sides, but lack of a blue light coming from the charge lights on their butts announced they had been long since spent. No doubt on the gooey, melting bodies that dotted the distant territory where the metal blocks had been set.  
He danced around the flying tentacles that stabbed the air with incredible speed and grace, yet slowly, but surely, he was being beaten back by the group. A Parasite launched itself at the man, its arms shifting into full scaled wings as its abdomen gaped razor sharp teeth. Holy fuck. There were some upper levels mixed in with the lowers. The Huntsmen just managed to duck the sudden attack. The Parasite swooped past him, and made to turn.  
Without even thinking, Duo cleared the thirty meters that separated him from the now surrounded Huntsmen in a blur to the deformed winged Parasite. He sprang up behind the man, and before the winged sliced the thing. As he came down, he narrowly avoided the arms shot at him.  
'Thanks. I'd buy you a beer later for that- if you weren't underage.'  
Duo grinned and dashed off an overblown head of a Parasite before it could mutate into lethal arms.  
'What do I get then?'  
The man grunted as he stabbed a gurgling Parasite in the neck and twisted his hand to pull the blade back.  
'Maybe to keep your life if you can convince your boyfriend standing in the doorway there to lend a little hand instead of plain watching.'  
'You have to excuse him- he's the new village idiot. If he lent a hand, he'd be more trouble than help.'  
'Oh,' the Huntsmen said in understanding. 'No basic team training yet, eh?'  
'Hasn't even taken a trial virgin run.'  
'Then you'd better warn him to get back. It's gonna get messy- as of now. Move!'  
They both flipped back as a Parasite in the middle of the group exploded into spikes. Alien arms of the now ball like Parasite ripped into the four Parasites before it in an effort take out the Huntsmen and Duo. The four Parasites died from the attack from their more aggressive comrade, their bodies not even yet formed enough to launch an attack. The ball Parasite retracted its arms again, shifted and exploded its sharp tentacles out again.  
Duo hissed as he dodged one arm too late. It sliced down the length of his forearm as he shifted to the side. He jerked his arm back and swore a streak of coloured curses. He awkwardly twisted from the rest of the eager Parasite's arms, and dodged the attacks of the other Parasites. Too many. It was getting too crowded. The room to manoeuvre was getting smaller. Duo suddenly realised they were now a scant seven meters away from the entrance of the armoury, where Heero still stood observing their action with a faint frown. He didn't seem to mind at all the various arms stabbing at the space around him. He shifted from side to side, avoiding the arms as he kept watching.  
'What the fuck are you doing Heero? Stop gawking, asshole, and get out of the way! I've no time to baby sit you now. Go find Relena and stay behind her!'  
'I'm awaiting my turn.'  
'This isn't a training exercise, you dickhead! It's a major fuck-up,' Duo shouted. 'We're not playing here!'  
'What's going on!?' Relena appeared. 'What's with all the- oh!'  
'Relena, protect Heero! We're going to beat these things back. It'll just take a minute.'  
'A minute?' gasped out the Huntsmen as he dodged another swift round of Parasite arms. 'We'd need more than that!'  
'I do not need to be protected by some woman.'  
A short bark of laughter erupted from the Huntsmen.  
'Damn, you sound just like another kiddie I once met,' chucked the older man as he tore into a Parasite and swung away. 'Hey, is that a gun I see in your paw there?'  
'It's a hand, and yes.'  
'Can you shoot straight? Like hopefully, your target?'  
'I don't miss targets.'  
'Why don't you bloody prove it by shooting some of these goddamn things then!? It'd be appreciated if you blasted them one fucking blast!'  
'... Roger that.'  
Duo dodged a waving arm and stabbed his Deathscythe into a Parasite's neck. It went right through, and continued on to bury into the head of the Parasite behind the first. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Heero disappear into the armoury.  
'Hey kid, where the fuck are you going?'  
'Never mind him, watch out!' Duo shouted. 'The ball blower's getting ready again.'  
'Fuck! Take him out before he blows! Can't move enough in this space already!'  
'Aw hell!' Duo burrowed his way though the maze of tentacles and inhuman bodies, dodging attacks as he lunged into the mass in a seeming suicidal attack. 'Die fucker!'  
He jumped, aiming to take the Parasite by surprise. It didn't work. The Parasite sensed his presence and turned. The ball blower's suddenly shifted into a large gaping mouth, filled with razor sharp teeth as it jerked its rapidly moving body towards Duo. A red, forked tongue shot out, stabbing Duo's abdomen. He twisted his body and slammed down his Deathscythe.  
'Got the sucker!' Duo screamed in triumph.  
He fell down. Duo bent his knees as he did so to take the weight of his body. As his feet touched down, Duo automatically balanced himself out.  
'Heero!' came Relena's high pitched cry. 'Don't!'  
'Aw hell!' Duo turned. 'Heero- don't get in my way now!'  
'No,' Heero ordered. 'You get out of mine. I'm under orders.'  
Heero lifted up a buster rifle and aimed it at him. Duo's eyes widened as he saw the telltale fizzle of electricity at the muzzle of the rifle intensify.  
'Fuck!'  
The Huntsmen, his back turned towards the armoury room, did not notice Heero. The man had his attention focused on keeping the Parasite line back. He had just finished tossing a throw of his twin swords and was reeling the bloody blades in when Duo sprinted towards the Huntsmen and dove on top of the tall man. Duo was a lightweight, but with the force of his jump and the additional weight of Deathscythe, he managed to force the muscular man down. Two arms ripped past them as they fell. One stabbed deeply into the Huntsmen's arm. Duo felt the other cut past the side of his neck as it passed him. The near miss was the last on his mind as the world around him turned white.  
As Heero let loose with the beam rifle, Duo became blind, and all too soon, deaf as well. A thrumming vibration overlade by an irritating, deafening whine ripped into his ear drums before a screech sounded and everything was too silent. Gradually his hearing came back as the odd shadows that dropped over his eyes to protect it from the blinding white receded. He blinked, shook his head, then looked around. The walls around him gleamed a dull red before returning slowly to their usual silver. Heated air rebounded back from the now empty corridor, and a sickening, burning stench came down with it. Duo peered cautiously behind him. The long corridor stretched empty, right up to the metal blockage at the end of it. Unlike the walls, however, the emergency blockage panel was not made out of the unusual material that formed the majority of the building, but ordinary metal. A large, circular incurve where the blast had impacted on it spanned the diameter of the majority of the panel. The middle of it was bright red, and the side edges orange. The outer sides had blackened up to the edges. It looked like a sun against the unnatural backdrop of night.  
Duo rose up shakily from the Huntsmen he had covered. His head felt strangely light. Without thinking much of it, Duo reached back and touched his hair, needing the unconscious reassurance it gave him. Finding his braid, he absently ran his hand down the length. As he did so, it began to unravel on him. Duo blinked. He brought back the braid, and looked down at it. It was... a lot shorter now. The ends of it had been none too cleanly, burnt off. The hair tie that had held the plait in place was just as non-existent as the Parasites as well.  
'My... hair...' he whispered.  
He looked towards the armoury door. Heero stood before Relena, an expectant and pleased look on his face, as if he expected to be praised for his effort. Duo didn't notice his puppy dog like expression. He was too pissed.  
'My hair....' Deep rage was swelling up from inside him. The hair had made things really personal. He allowed nothing or nobody to harm the braid. It was more special than he would admit out aloud. The reason why lay close to his heart, and he kept it buried there. Heero had unwittingly brought up the fury of his soul. He staggered up from his position and brought his Deathscythe up.  
'Damn you, Heero Yuy!' he snarled. 'I am so going to get you for this!'  
Heero's expression tightened at Duo's shout. The brown hair boy scowled back.  
'What are you so upset about?'  
'Why am I upset? Why!? Fucking hell Heero- you nearly killed us with that thing!' He stabbed in the direction of the rifle Heero held with the blade of his scythe. 'There's a reason why they're rarely fucking used, and that's because they're fucking overkill! Buster rifles aren't for amateurs!'  
'I'm a professional.'  
'You're a professional nut!' Duo shouted. 'Look what you did to my hair!'  
'Calm down girl,' the Huntsmen groaned as he shuffled to his knees, awkwardly raising himself up. 'I'm sure with a trim, your pretty mane will be back to health in no time.'  
'Hey! Who are you calling a girl?' he whirled around and snapped at the Huntsmen. 'I help save your ass, old man! Don't get off call me off no bitch, man.'  
'Duo! Language!' chided Relena sharply.  
The Huntsmen blinked up at him from his bent position. Duo frowned. Damn. He really was very familiar. The Huntsmen around the Academy usually changed each semester, so it was hard keeping up with the faces, but he had a more than a nudging suspicion he actually did know the man. For the life of him, he couldn't place the name. The face was as familiar to him as the well known politicians in the newspapers.  
'You're a boy? Sorry. My mistake.' The older man gave a lopsided grin. 'But I gotta say, your friend there is as he says. There aren't many people who know how to turn on a buster rifle, let alone aim and control it in such a narrow area. How'd you get past the code security on it though?'  
'There are ways but I chose to remove the safety panel,' Heero showed the cracked control with five torn wires hanging out from a gap in the device. 'The device is made more effective by this. Without control on the charge, full power can be reached. Since the overload burns out the circuits in the process, it renders the buster rifle fit for single use only.'  
A gasp came from Relena.  
'The charge could have reversed, and caused an uncontrolled explosion!'  
'I deemed that was an acceptable risk.'  
The Huntsmen blanched, as did Duo and Relena.  
'Were you trying to kill every fucking one!?' Duo shouted.  
'No. I was simply following orders to take out the Parasites with one blast,' Heero stated. 'And I did tell you to get out of the way,' he pointed out.  
Duo snapped.  
'You fuck!'  
He launched himself at Heero.  
'Now, now,' Duo found himself stopped painfully midway in his lunge before he could make it to Heero. The old man pulled Duo back by the braid. As Duo stumbled, placed off balanced by the move, the man quickly exchanged the braid for a firmer and more controlling hold on the shirt collar of Duo's school uniform. 'Calm down, girl- I mean, boy.'  
Duo flayed in the taller man's one hand grip, his hair unravelling completely from its braid at the violence in his struggles.  
'I'm a boy! I don't even look like a girl!' he snarled. He pointed to Heero. 'I may have long hair but he looks more like a girl than I do! Look at him, he's got pretty long lashes and fucking delicate features. And look at those lips! They're fucking perfect pink pouting lips! Even Relena's lips looks deformed next to that sexy, cock fuckable mouth. So hah!'  
Heero snorted as Relena turned red beside him.  
'That maybe so, but,' Heero glared angrily, 'you too posses such characteristics, and more. Hence accordingly, you're prettier than me. It is you who looks more like a girl. So quote, "hah".' He crossed his arms across his chest.  
Duo turned speechless at Heero's retort. Prettier? He began to flush the same shade as Relena's reddened cheeks. Heero thought he was prettier!? How dare he! He was not pretty! He was not a fucking girl!  
'Children, children, I get that you both are boys, okay? So cut with the petty, girly squabbling already! Erm, no offence intended to you there, young girl,' the Huntsmen nodded to Relena.  
Relena gasped and her eyes widened as some sort of realisation seemed to hit her.  
'Oh my... none was taken, sir,' Relena swayed, her eyes huge and wide as if star struck. 'None at all.'  
Duo stopped struggling in the Huntsmen's grip at the odd behaviour from the princess.  
'Oy, Relena, are you okay?'  
Duo's eyes then widened in realisation himself. He looked at Relena, then at the Huntsmen, then back at Relena's expression.  
'Oh, you're not....'  
He then groaned. The princess was in love again.  
'You are too! Isn't one enough for you? I mean, seriously Relena-'  
'Duo, shut up! It's not that!' Relena blushed even more as she hissed. Her blue eyes darted from glaring at Duo to looking up shyly in hero worship at the Huntsmen. 'Are you an idiot or what!?'  
'He is,' came Heero's monotone voice.  
'Hey!'  
'Heero, don't you get it either? That's Odin Lowe! The Huntsmen head!'  
'Relena, you're pulling my leg.'  
'Look at him!'  
Duo's head swivelled to the face of the man holding him away from Heero. It clicked then. Duo's jaw dropped. He dully noted it was becoming a bad habit of his. If it got worse, he'll be eating flies regularly.  
'You... you're... Odin Lowe?'  
'Yep. That's me,' the Huntsmen drawled lazily.  
'The Odin Lowe?'  
'I know of no other.'  
Duo looked the sweaty and bloody Huntmen up and down. He smiled sickly.  
'Heh,' he said weakly, 'you don't look much like those publicity pictures in the papers and stuff, you know.'  
'It's the makeup, you see,' Odin said mournfully in return. 'They practically plaster me before each photo shoot- even when it's on the field.'  
Heero frowned.  
'Makeup? Are you sure you're not the girl here?' he asked.  
Relena's mouth mimicked Duo's in their twin parody of a gulping goldfish. Odin laughed uproariously at the question.  
'Hey come here, kid,' He released Duo and motioned for Heero to come with a waggle of his index finger.  
Heero came warily towards Odin. He stopped a metre away from the older man.  
'What?' he said suspiciously.  
Odin leant down and roughly ruffled the boy's locks, tumbling the already naturally messy brown hair into further disarray. Duo could see that Heero's back stiffen. Clearly, the brown hair boy was uncomfortable with the contact. He jerked back from Odin. As if he anticipated the move, Odin fluidly moved along with him. Heero jerked back again. Odin followed the move again. He kept pace with the irritated, and almost confused Heero until the brown hair boy stopped trying to duck the contact, and bore the attack with a sullen scowl.  
'Aww, you're a cute one, aren't you,' Odin chuckled. 'You're going to make a good soldier.'  
'No. I am already a perfect one,' Heero corrected.  
'And the arrogance! It just makes me like you even more, son.'  
'I'm not your son.'  
'Maybe not, but I'm going to adopt you, how about it? Or do you have any objections? Your real papa gonna get mad at me or something?'  
'I have no father.'  
Odin's hand paused in its ruffling of Heero's hair.  
'I'm sorry to hear that.'  
'Why?' Heero pulled back from Odin.  
This time Odin allowed him to.  
'Why would you be?'  
Duo poked at Heero.  
'Well stupid, it's called "sympathy", moron. It's emotion that arises naturally as a part of being caring about others. Shess! You really are a dumbass, aren't you, Heero?'  
'I am not a donkey.'  
Duo looked at Odin and tilted his head at towards Heero. 'Please pardon the village idiot masquerading as the fool.'  
Odin's lips quirked up.  
'Idiot, eh? He strikes me as fairly intelligent actually,' Odin turned to Heero. 'Heero Yuy, isn't it?'  
The boy nodded once.  
'And you two are?'  
'Oh, pardon us, sir! I am Relena Peacecraft of the Sanq Kingdom and-'  
'I'm Duo Maxwell!' Duo grinned cheerfully and stuck his hand out. 'It was an incredible honour to fight alongside you.'  
Odin grinned back.  
'No, the honour is mine. You're pretty good, Duo. I'd love to shake hands with you now, but I have to be rude and delay for a bit.' Odin pointed to his arm. Blood trailed thickly down it from a Parasite forged hole in it. 'You see, my right arm's, well, shot to hell at the moment. Once we call down the help via the emergency phone and they fix this up for me, please allow me the pleasure of doing so with all of you guys. In the mean time, has anyone got something I can use as a makeshift bandage? Sorry. I'm kind of dripping over the place here. I really don't know how long this current screw-up is going to last and I don't want to make too much of a mess before the medics come down.'  
A ripping noise sounded.  
Duo turned towards the source, as did Odin and Relena.  
'Here,' said Heero softly, almost as if as if he was hesitant. He offered the grey, torn material of his jacket sleeve to Odin.  
Odin smiled.  
'Thanks,' he said as he took the offering. 'You're a life saver, son.'  
Heero's expression tightened and he scowled. Without saying another word, the brown hair boy turned his back on all three of them, and walked stiffly away.  
'What? What did I say?' Odin looked confused.  
Duo shrugged.  
'I don't know, sir. He just always acts like a freak of nature all the damn time. He has a tendency to think he's some sort of comic hero,' Duo then winched. 'Ouch, I think my body's reminding me how I'm not exactly one myself. I think I really stuffed my knee.'

TBC.


	20. Chapter 20

His machine gun long since abandoned in a corner- at least, for the time being- Trowa stood on his two hind legs, leaning against a solid wall as he watched the blond boy. Winner, or Quatre as the blond had firmly told him to call him by- and for some reason being very particular about it, moved quickly around the small, square computer room they were alone in. Before every training room, such a room existed. Quatre had said that the self contained mainframe in it controlled everything in the opposite room; from the selection of the type of Parasite to be fought, numbers of opponents, to the devices in the room which controlled the environment and other variables. Weather of almost all kinds, as well as the training area's ground surface, could be stimulated and adjusted to suit. At the moment, the training room beyond, visible through the wide special glass-like window positioned above the control panels, was nothing more than a large, empty metal box.  
All activity was contained to the tight space of the controls room. Specifically, Quatre. His assigned partner went from one panel section of the large mainframe to the next, flicking various switches on the mainframe with one hand, and typing furiously away at the keypads with his other hand. The light buttons on the panel gleamed red. It matched the colour of the overhead emergency light that flicked on immediately after the previous genetic white lighting had gone out. The red light merged with and changed the blond hair of the boy that was his assigned partner into a fiery shade of orange.  
'So the situation is...?'  
'Very bad. Depending on the severity of the problem in the general system, one or two can escape out of the cage room before the secondary safety system network kicks into place, but for some reason, this time even the secondary system completely failed. The third one was thankfully triggered to stop most of the Parasites escaping but because it's the backbone system, it's isolated from most of the extra networks, so I can't get a clear window to see what's going on in the hallway outside of this room, let alone the other sectors.' Quatre looked at the door. 'However since the leak was reported to originated in the West wing, no doubt most of the Parasites are here.'  
Trowa followed the line of his sight.  
'As you said, you can't see what's going outside of this room. There could be any number of Parasites outside. If the door is open, it may be very well more than the both of us can handle.'  
Quatre looked troubled. Trowa noticed the blond's fingers drifting to the twin sickles he had sheathed in leather at his sides.  
'But Duo... and your friend Heero might be in danger.'  
Trowa shrugged.  
'So? We can't be sure of their current location anyway. They could be still in the weaponry room, or in the halls, or locked in a training room like ourselves. To go looking for them is rather difficult, if not a potentially fatal exercise.'  
Quatre frowned. 'I can't believe you can be so cold, Trowa. Aren't you worried at all? They could be trapped, fighting for their very lives against scores of Parasites!'  
Trowa thought for a moment.  
'No. I believe they both can take care of themselves. If not,' he shrugged, 'Heero is at least certain to survive. I'm not sure about Duo, but if he doesn't interfere and stays behind Heero, he may survive too.'  
It would just mean that they would have to hastily depart from the Huntsmen Academy earlier than planned, as Heero would betray his true form. It would be a pity to lose the good hide out, but he had rested and ate well during the few days they had been there. They were ready to battle whatever unseen enemy that was directing the Project Two Parasites at them.  
Trowa discovered in the next instant that when Quatre moved, the human moved as fast as the wind. One moment the blond had been halfway across the room, and the next, Quatre was in front of him and had just delivered a hard slap to his face that set his right cheek stinging.  
'Don't underestimate Duo,' Quatre's green-blue eyes sparkled furiously at Trowa. 'I know my friend, and he would never die on me.' Pain filled Quatre's eyes. 'Not like the others,' he whispered in a tone so low that Trowa himself barely caught it with his sensitive ears.  
Trowa looked down at Quatre.  
'And how do you know that?'  
'Because Duo said so once. And he never lies.'  
'Then... why are you doubting him? Why do you want to go looking for him?' Trowa questioned curiously.  
Not knowing why, Trowa reached out towards Quatre. He placed his hands over Quatre's own, which had returned to their position of itching over the brown leather of his sickles' sheath. He drew up Quatre's hands and held them between the small space between Quatre and him. Quatre's hands were lily-white, much paler than his own. Quatre's palm were smaller, but the length of his fingers were nearly the same as his own. Trowa felt the strength in Quatre's hands dissipate. They shook in his grip as Quatre took a sharp breath in.  
'I'm... not. I just want to be there so I can-'  
'So you can...?' he emphasised the second word.  
'I'm not doubting his abilities! It's just that I have to make sure that-'  
'You are doubting him.' Trowa looked in puzzlement at Quatre. 'Your concern strikes me as extremely irrational, considering that he has the blood scent of a lot more kills than anyone else in this institution, both Parasite and human. Compared to him, you're still levels lower.'  
Quatre stilled.  
'I'm not as weak as I look,' Quatre said tightly. 'I'm no angel.'  
'I don't know what an angel is, but you probably are one.'  
'...I can kill you in an instant if I wanted to, do you know that?' Quatre pointed out coolly.  
Trowa stepped towards Quatre. They were now nearly touching. He kept his hands over Quatre's own, he placed Quatre's hands on the top each of sickle handles. He deliberately entwined his fingers with Quatre's own as much as possible to prevent the blond from developing a complete, firm grip on his weapons.  
'Perhaps you could. I'd rather not find out actually.' He leant down and spoke to Quatre's ear. 'I'm only asking you to think a little bit more rationally, and have more trust in your friend.'  
Quatre shivered. He noticed a blush colour the fair skin of the blond's neck. It rapidly crept up Quatre's neck. An interesting smell began to faintly radiate from him. Trowa's nose twitched at the whiff, and he moved closer to sniff. He took a deep breath. Quatre moved towards Trowa. Trowa stilled himself as he felt an unexpected softness of lips on his tender neck. Then Quatre bit down hard on Trowa's skin. Trowa jerked back, more in surprise than from the pain of the bite. Quatre pushed Trowa hard against the wall. He had withdrew out a sickle. The silver of it arced up and settled mere millimetres away from Trowa's jaguar vein, very near to the place where Quatre had marked him.  
'I'm not a coward. When my friends need me, I'll be there. You can stay here if you want, in fact, it's probably better for you to do so as you're still new and it's dangerous out there, but I'm going.'  
It was ridiculous how determine the blond was about protecting someone who didn't need it. Trowa almost smiled but caught himself. There was something about the little vicious cub's stubborn stance that was intoxicating amusing. He didn't know for certain whether it was a good thing or bad, but, as he eyed the tight expression on Quatre's face, he had a feeling it leant on the side of the bad as he felt the urge to follow the human.  
Trowa sighed.  
Suddenly he wanted to see Heero very urgently. They needed to discuss things. It probably would be a good idea to take leave of the place tonight.  
After all, a place where a mass amount of Parasites, Huntsmen, and Huntsmen trainees exist wasn't a good place for a half-Parasite and half-fox to be.  
Even if one of the humans there had a very, intriguing smell.

TBC.


	21. Chapter 21

Quatre had decided to check the store room first, and his first guess had proved right- after they had unlocked a number of makeshift metal blocks that filled what had been previously empty halls. It had been more taxing on Quatre than Trowa. Aside from having a bred advantage over the human, Trowa also deliberately held back his own strength when they unlocked the locks and pulled away each block. By the time they had reached the fourteenth block, Quatre had been panting hard from exertion. Trowa would have thought the little blond to be near exhaustion, but the human had proved more durable than he thought. He had killed a lot more of the occasional Parasites they found scattered and trapped in each block than Trowa did, and more quickly too. Before Trowa could raise up the muzzle of his machine gun, the blond had already had the first kill. Trowa was torn between a respectful admiration for Quatre's deadly, efficient movements, and worry.  
By the time they reached the end of the main West hall, and found the others, Trowa had a tiny frown wrinkle on his normally expressionless face.  
'Quatre!' came a happy shout. 'Are you with the rescue team!?'  
A black clad whirlwind pounced on Quatre, nearly sending the blond tumbling down.  
'Oof- down Duo! Gaah-!'  
Trowa reached out and stabled Quatre from behind before the human could. It was this reflexive action, Trowa realised as he came to meet stony cold blue eyes, that had perhaps prevented an extremely drastic situation. Heero had a hair trigger finer than any weapon that he had ever touched, and it was attuned not only danger but its potential. Heero could sense Parasites, and knew that threat well enough to know when to pull back, but in the midst of humans, Heero had a problem processing real danger from the potential danger he too sensed. It had made for a lot of blunders- incidents Trowa would prefer to forget- during the initial period when they had adjusted to Earth, and still was a problem now.  
Heero tilted his head questioningly at Trowa, and looked sideways towards Quatre. His meaning was clear. Heero was asking Trowa whether he should eliminate Quatre. The Parasite had read the worry in Trowa's expression, and correctly guessed that Quatre had been the cause. Trowa shook his head quickly in response. Heero displaying rare constraint in waiting for Trowa's go ahead was fortunate. Trowa was thankful for it. Whether it for the humans or themselves was debatable, but after seeing his assigned partner fight, Trowa was in no hurry to find himself on the other side of the sickle blades. The blond was guaranteed to explode with fury if Heero let out his true self, and would attack Heero, seeing only the Parasite side of Heero. His pack bond with Heero would require him to join with Heero against Quatre and... he didn't want that.  
He looked down at the blushing boy in his hold. Standing so close against Quatre allowed him to breath in more of the strangely heady mixed scent of blood and vanilla essence, with the ever present trace of... Trowa couldn't place it, but the smell was sending a strange, aggravating pulse through his body, and stirred an odd feeling in him. Eyes as blue as the amazing sky he discovered upon entering Earth blinked up at him. There was welcome in them, and he could almost swear that Quatre was feeling exactly the same way as him, that... what?  
How can a human feel the same way as him? They were completely, different species. And the shorter human before him had proved very capable of killing and enjoying the deaths of specimens the blond no doubt considered lesser than him. If he wasn't careful, Quatre would be the death of him. And Heero.  
Trowa quickly dropped his hands away from Quatre's shoulders as if Quatre was poison.  
He mustn't forget that they were only in the Academy to take a break from the strange groups of Parasites they had been encountering. Unlike ordinary Project Two specimens that had an instinct to survive and ran away from opponents too strong for them to defeat, the groups were eerily stubborn in tracking them after encounters. They had been surprised by it at first. According to his instinctive Parasite sense, Heero had said something was directing the group. He didn't know what. There was something on Earth that was on the sensory channels, and for reason, Trowa had drawn its attention. Not Heero. The human nature of Heero's mind, combined with his physical form, had shielded and hide him from whatever the darkness was. Indeed the Parasites within the groups had a tendency to ignore the presence of Heero, focusing instead on Trowa during encounters. As much as Trowa would like to know himself why, after months of fighting the Parasites, they were no closer to finding out the reason why. Heero didn't care all that much. The half Parasite had pointed out they were surrounded by enemies anyway, and the group were mere the Parasite equivalent of the human Huntsmen. It fitted in with Heero's quirky sense of humour to escape from one enemy by residing within the hornets nest of another, but looking at Quatre, Trowa decided then and there that the move was a bad one.  
No. He knew it before.  
Living with humans was harder than simply dodging Parasites. The wounds from the encounters they had would heal easy enough. The brief flash of hurt that had crossed Quatre's face at his quick release of him had hurt him even more and it seemed to stay in his heart. Trowa tore his eyes away from Quatre. He stumbled away from the boy before his natural grace caught him and he straightened coolly and walked over to where Heero was. The dark brown hair had an almost puppy dog look of confusion on his face as he looked at Quatre and back at Trowa. The normally insensitive Parasite had caught some edges of Trowa's feelings, and his half-frustrated expression indicated he couldn't compute it. To tell the truth, Trowa didn't either. He gave a half shrug to Heero.  
'Ah- sorry Quatre.' Duo looked apologetically at Quatre. 'I didn't mean to tumble you there but you have no idea how long we've been waiting for rescue-'  
'Forty six minutes, eighteen seconds,' intoned Heero.  
Duo gave a sharp look at Heero, rolled his eyes and then turned back to Quatre.  
'And frankly, I was getting tired of being stuck with this moron! Not to mention that-'  
'This man is needs a doctor as soon as possible,' came a worried female voice. 'He's fallen unconscious from lack of blood.'  
Trowa recognised the female sitting down as the girl in class who had shielded Heero from the other, dangerous female. Relena. He also recognised the man whose head she had resting in her lap. The sight of the man raised the hairs along the back of his neck. Odin Lowe. Despite the Huntsmen leader being clearly unconscious, Trowa felt an immediate urge to make sure the man did not wake again. His green eyes turned frosty as he looked warily at the man. To his surprise, Heero stepped in the line of his sight and shook his head. Trowa lifted an eyebrow in surprise. Heero replicated the same half shrug back at Trowa that he had done previously.  
Quatre gave a gasp as he saw the unconscious Huntsmen.  
'That's Odin Lowe.'  
'We know that. Now can you rescue guys point us towards the exit where the medical crew is waiting?'  
Quatre looked stricken.  
'Duo, I don't-' the blond began to explain that they were not the official rescue team that Duo had thought them to be. But before he could, they were interrupted by a furious shout.  
'Quatre Raberba Winner!'  
All turned to look down the corridor. Stepping through the half opened metal panel, was a clearly upset Lieutenant Noin. The head trainer's purple eyes blazed with suppressed anger mingled with relief as she glared at the group. From beyond the metal edge, glimpses of men clad in the distinct red and black colours of the Huntsmen could be seen. Trowa surmised they were the official rescue team.  
'I don't care if you're the top academy student, but regulations are regulations! You know very well you are suppose to stay put in a section when an outbreak occurs until a professional Huntsmen team arrives. You are not suppose to go around making paths throughout the corridors! You could have very well freed a mass of Parasites with the loose way you pulled away the barriers. They're there for a reason, young man. You will face-'  
'Please leave the matter until later, Lieutenant Noin!' cried Relena. 'This man's here is hurt badly. He needs immediate medical attention!'  
'Leader Odin!' gasped Noin. Then the woman frowned. 'Sir, I'm afraid I will have to charge you for sexually harassing my student if you don't get your head out of Relena's lap immediately. Please stop pretending. You're not hurt that badly.'  
Relena let a squeal of surprise as the previously still man opened one eye, revealing sparkling blue-grey eyes.  
'Aw crap, how did you know I was faking?'  
'I didn't. Not to be disrespectful sir, but your personality and antics are infamous,' Noin answered in a matter of fact tone. 'Your Second had informed me.'  
'Or rather, warned you,' sighed Odin.  
'Rather well, I'd say. So sir, if you please...?'  
Odin looked up at Relena.  
'Say princess, you really don't mind sharing your lap, do you? Don't you think I'm quite a handsome man?' Odin winked before he rolled away from Relena and got up to his feet.  
The Sank royalty turned red. Her mouth moved soundlessly as she tried to form a reply to his question, no doubt striving for a polite and neutral response.  
'Shit Quatre, Relena's speechless!' crowed Duo. 'I don't believe this. Hell's just frozen over.'  
The long hair boy began laughing outright.  
'Duo... language. And watch your manners, please,' Noin gave her troublemaking student a firm look.  
Duo sobered up quickly, although his eyes still twinkled amusement.  
'Sorry madam.'  
'Strict, isn't she? So you're the she-devil trainer- zee Madam Lieutenant Noin that Zechs was talking about?'  
'Affirmative. I am Lieutenant Noin.'  
'Wowee, with such a teacher, it's no wonder why Zechs said that the new recruits were guaranteed to be up to scratch. It's a pleasure to meet you at last,' Odin said with a grin as he moved forward to the area before the opened panel block where he, Duo, Quatre and Noin stood.  
Trowa looked sharply at Odin, his senses prickled by something in the man's tone.  
'Up to scratch?' he inquired softly. 'For what?'  
Odin paused, then coughed.  
'Well, to survive in the real world. You guys are going to make great new Huntsmen,' he smiled broadly. 'What's your name, rescue kid? I caught blondie's here because everyone was yelling his name- but not yours. I guess Quatre's here's a lot more popular with the folks, but even so, don't be shy and hide- state your name proudly, mister tall, good looking and silent.'  
'...If you really need a name to use, you may call me Barton. If you require my first name, it is Trowa,' he said in a monotone that could have rivalled Heero's.  
'Well...' Odin's brow rose, 'pleased to meet you Trowa, and very pleased to meet you, young Quatre.'  
'I don't understand why this man is babbling, Lieutenant Noin,' came a rough edged voice. 'But he should not waste time. He has to receive blood of his type soon if he wishes to survive. His heart is slowing down.'  
All turned to Heero. The brown hair boy glared surly back at their surprised expressions.  
'What?'  
Noin was the first to recover.  
'Heero, I understand you are concerned for the Huntsmen Leader, but really, you need to work on your wording.'  
'I don't care. I'm just stating a fact.'  
It was then Odin fell down.  
'Sir!'  
Duo caught the falling man.  
'Shit- I think he's really unconscious this time. I can barely feel his pulse! Fuck! His shirt's soaked through.'  
'Duo, language! Men- I need help here! We've got a critical!'  
Red coats came fluttering in as the Huntsmen team came in.  
'Move! Move! Move!'  
Trowa was pushed aside by the flow of human. He was about to move back fully and assign himself to the mere role of watching but a firm hand that clasped around his and prevented him from donning the passive role. Quatre looked up at him with wide, worried eyes.  
'Trowa- can you take that side of the stretcher?'  
Trowa blinked, then nodded.  
'Thanks,' Quatre smiled.  
They made their way out towards the infirmity, with Trowa lost in bemusement at why he was helping carrying an injured human better off to him dead. He did not pay much attention to the silent presence of Heero at his back, and therefore did not question the strange look on the half Parasite's face- a look which actually mirrored his own.

TBC.


	22. Chapter 22

Exiting from the hallway of the high officer barracks, Zechs sighed as he entered the darkened room of his own private quarters. It had been a hard day. For the last week, a record number of Parasites had been showing up at the perimeters of the Huntsmen Academy. The actual statistics were written on the bundled paper file he had been given and now placed with thud down onto his desk. The file was added to another that lay in the identical place. He didn't know what was drawing the Parasites, but it was playing havoc with the scheduled duties of the guards. It was almost as if the Parasites were laying siege to them. There weren't enough men to go around. Lucrezia had reported to him that the ones on the call were tired and the number of complaints about the situation was on the rise. He had paid a visit to the barracks and could see the signs for himself.  
A group of fifty men from Headquarters had been scheduled to arrive a week ago, but the batch had been met with an unfortunate incident. Only half had made it through to their new assignment, of the remaindering men, nine were in the infirmity for at the minimum of two to over a month's recovery time. Granted, all Huntsmen bases were understaffed- the very nature of the work killed a lot of Huntsmen- but he was going to have a serious talk with Odin regarding the Academy base when the leader arrived for their meeting. With an increasing amount of new recruits being graduates from the Academy intensive training, the Academy as a source were gradually overtaking the others. The campus grounds needed to be protected at a more high priority level. Especially considering that the Academy graduates lasted longer than the typical Huntsmen depressing average. The new plague could last again for centuries. They had to put in place a solid framework to support the protection of humanity.  
And Odin, the lazy old- Zechs tightened his lip and shook the rude word out of his head, had disappeared on him. He sometimes wondered what possess Lady Une to assign the man to his position. The man was rarely at any of the official meetings, and usually turned up somewhere in the dangerous field. He was left to do all the frustrating bureaucratic affairs and logistics. Zechs admitted privately to himself that he really did miss the battlefield. In the war, despite his youth, he had been trained to be an elite soldier, and that he had been. He had fought in the wars as a pilot. In spirit, he had the heart of a warrior. Simple, outright fighting appealed to him a lot more then the mess of laws, regulations, theories, and ridiculous ideas he currently dealt with. With all the current trends, he was left to make tougher and even tougher decisions at a head spinning pace. The private video conference meeting he just had with the heads of the World Federation and Colonial governments had exhausted him with all the internal bickering he had to resolve first to even make headway on a united strategy. The war was not over for a lot of the leaders, it seems.  
He took off his mask and sighed. The only bright spot in the day had been his time together with Lucrezia. Unfortunately Lucrezia had to leave to attend to some other task when she was called during the course of their private conference, so he had been left alone for the boring main conference with the top officials. The meeting had been so long, without a break, and had stretched through past the general civilized hour for dinner. Even with the semi-positive results he finally managed to squeeze out from the government officials, Zechs was hungry, tired, and not at all that happy.  
'Yo!'  
Zechs stiffened as he heard the lazy greeting.  
'Odin. I see that you're still alive. I would have greeted you at the door, instead of now in my room, if you only just gave notice,' he said dryly. 'Was there a particular reason for this breach of etiquette?'  
The lamp in the far corner of his room flickered on, highlighting what had previously only been a darkened shadow in full colour.  
'Hiding from those dratted psychos you keep on leashes in your infirmity which you term your medical staff. They practically mauled me. I wouldn't mind if any of them was halfway decent looking, but shess, they looked liked mutated Parasites,' said the Huntsmen leader with no sign of shame. Odin pointed to the bandages swathed around him. 'They were damn sadistic, and not only that, male. You really out to get some female nurses in on the medical staff team here. At least if they were female, they wouldn't smell so bad when they get close to you. And chances are, they'd be a sight prettier too. I'd stay in bed happily if some pretty nurse was attending my needs.'  
Zechs frowned.  
'What happened?'  
'The usual. A Parasite breakout from their containers.' Odin leant back, and sighed. 'The new system needs a look at. I guess it wasn't as perfect as the designers said it'll be.'  
'What was damage?'  
Odin smiled.  
'We got lucky. Absolutely no one got killed. Only a few students had been in the area at the time of the breakout, and they more than just survived- they hauled my ass out of the fire. That Duo kid is no doubt some gothic psycho- I've never seen any one wield such a weird weapon before. And the messy hair boy- Heero? Or something- but he's like some freak from outta space with the way he nearly killed all of us there when he stepped in oh so coolly and saved the two of us from being slaughtered by the mass of Parasites. I didn't know whether I wanted to hug or smack the kid for his help. He had a special way of using a buster rifle like you wouldn't believe, but I don't know if I should introduce it in the Huntsmen training program for that equipment or not. I think I'll discuss the issue with your devil she-trainer, gosh, now that woman is sexy- I'd like to see what she thinks.'  
Zechs recognised the name Duo. He had heard plenty about the trouble making student in the communications he had with Lucrezia. She had been charmed apparently by the rough edged boy, but he had never met him in person. Considering the boy was the second best fighter in the Academy, he wasn't too surprised to hear Odin giving the boy an admiring compliment. He was surprised to hear about the other youth though. He had met the new student today, and didn't think much of the boy. He strike Zechs as the sulky and sullen type, and his handshake was like gripping a limp piece of... well, rubber or something that gave way against pressure. Heero didn't seem to him like a person whom Odin would compliment. Odin liked people with a strong personality as he often sought to provoke them. He lifted an elegantly surprised eyebrow at Odin.  
'Then the Quatre Winner rich kid popped in with his silent companion- Trowa, or something, I wasn't really paying much attention by then because I was kind of dizzy by then...' the man continued on talking, or rather, chatting away.  
Odin was talking too much, Zechs noted. That meant the Huntsmen leader had something very important and very bad to say.  
'What is it, Odin?' he interrupted his superior midway. 'Why did you come to the Academy?'  
The older man abruptly stopped. He gave a wry smile.  
'And so this is why you are my Second. You know me too well. To answer your question, Zechs ol' boy,' Odin's smile dropped. 'As you guessed, I have some really bad news. First of all...'  
If he didn't know the Huntsmen Leader so well, he would have placed the man's musings as pure nonsense. But as Odin began to crisply outline the facts he had gathered during the time he had disappeared, Zechs found the impossible happening. His day had just got worse.  
'So the Parasites, during these certain incidents, are being controlled by someone or some group?'  
Zechs had sat himself down on the couch aside from Odin as the two men talked over the current events.  
'Yes. In addition, we're not prepared for this new turn. We, the Huntsmen, are running extremely low on numbers,' Odin said softly. 'We're recruiting from everywhere we can, but I don't know how long we can hold up. And the Parasites are getting more active lately. We're getting to a point- no, we have passed the point that we need to get fresh recruits from the campuses earlier. Une has already written the draft required for us to be able to recruit younger candidates provided they have adequate skills. We've basing the next recruitment drive on skill and not age because we can't afford any longer to wait. For security issues, we're looking to recruit internally, if we can. Out of the students attending the Huntsmen Academy, how many do you think have enough experience to begin active work?'  
Zechs hissed.  
'Space wide, I would say only less than five percent at best. The only students that could really be used would probably be only the top three classes, but since the first year are too young and untried. The second year and the third years, maybe. The third years are mostly sixteen years, but there are few notable fifteen year olds. But they aren't even old enough to leave school yet to go into work full time, let alone the Huntsmen line of work.'  
'Not after the amendment to the law is passed.'  
'Odin- we're talking about forcing children to the battlefield!' Zechs said harshly. 'That's against the whole spirit of the peace agreement! Amongst a lot of other issues, to secure the safe future and freedom of the children on both side's of the conflict was a major concern that forced the old Alliance and the Colonies to make peace with each other. You will not have the support of the public on this.'  
'There aren't any frontlines in the battle against the Parasites. Everyone's involved. If someone has the skill, regardless of their age, we need them- now. We've been draining people from everywhere we can, but we're fast approaching the limitations. We're stripping too much from bare skeletons already. The Parasites are taking out our numbers down faster than what we've been letting the public know. If we don't maintain at least the minimum amount of Huntsmen in our stations, entire areas get wiped out.' Odin looked weary. 'The law will only allow the recruitment of young talents if they are willing. They will not be drafted. But men will be.'  
'There's going to be a draft!?'  
Odin held up a hand.  
'Lately, we haven't been able to meet a lot of needs. I didn't know how bad it was until I was checking out places around space on Parasite group issue. The governments everywhere, from local to state to nation, have been playing around with figures because they didn't want to scare the hell out of their already nervous residents. The exact extent of the damage to humanity has been underestimated. I sent a report to Une of the exact statistics, and your copy is here.'  
He lifted his jacket with a winch and passed Zechs a thick file of papers from inside of the lining. 'Sorry, I got it a bit bloody on the way here because the bandages got unravelled. Anyway, the cities on Earth and entire Colonies are dying. There is a reduction of a quarter the numbers of people in most areas. In short, we're losing the battle faster against the Parasites. The percentage of empty regions has already exceeded that of the old plague. The Governments are evacuating people to different areas to at least keep the appearance of a large population, but in truth, there are already a lot of ghost cities and deserted Colonies. There is a possibility of humanity will be wiped from the all the Colonies within twenty years if we do, and Earth may soon follow the Colony trend too.' Odin took a deep breath. 'We, humanity, are being slaughtered by Parasites. We're losing the fight.'  
'And if we sacrifice our young, what change will it bring?'  
'Maybe a lot. There's a not very obvious battle going on under the cover of the plague, but we need time to find out. For that, to survive as a whole, humanity has to sacrifice a few.'  
'I object to sacrificing our morals.'  
'I object too, which is why we're going to send only those who are equipped to survive this new war.' The old man leant back, his eyes steely and hard as he kept Zech's gaze of disbelief and torn anger. 'We're going to send all of our best troops in, because that's the only chance we have left. Zechs, believe me, we have to.'

TBC.


	23. Chapter 23

The rush of white coats and officers past the corridors steeped into where Duo sat up resting in the medical facility bed made him damn curious to find out what was going on. He would have gotten up and investigated the matter for himself if it weren't for the fact he was chained to the metal bedpost by shackles around his one good leg and hands. He would have picked the locks on it, but Quatre had removed his tools deftly after patting him down, so now he was reduced to throwing alternate sulky and anger looks at his best friend. Quatre sat quietly by his bedside, reading a magazine he had picked up from the nurse's counter outside, apparently obvious to both the noise outside and Duo's frustration.  
'...can't believe it. Should have locked him up like...'  
'...would have thought? Like...'  
'...hurry and find him. Regardless of whether he's....'  
The voices faded away.  
'What's going on out there?' he growled out in frustration. 'If I have to be in this bed, what the hell is taking the doctor so long to come back? Does a guy have to be splashing major blood around to get any attention here? Quatre, can you go and check?'  
The blond boy arched an eyebrow up.  
'Well, will you to here afterwards if I do? You're not going to take Deathscythe and attempt to break the chains with that, are you?'  
Duo shot a half-guilty look at the large weapon beside him- the only thing Quatre had not removed from him, and sighed. He had thought about it. There was something about medical facilities and him that did not get along. Hence the reason why he was shackled down. From routine health checks, boost injections etcetera, if he could avoid it, he would, and frequently did. He sighed and raised his hand.  
'Okay, I'll be a good boy. Now can you please fetch whoever the doctor was that told us to wait here? If it's not critical, I want to get back to the dorms as soon as possible. I've homework to do.'  
Quatre laughed.  
'True. But it's not like you'd do it, even if you have some.' He placed down his magazine. 'I'll find a nurse and ask how long the doctor will be.'  
Quatre exited the room. Within five minutes, he reappeared with an amused expression and two crutches.  
'Well, they said you can actually go since you're patched up already. They kind of forgot to drop by and tell us that because it got a bit hectic- apparently another patient shared your escapee tendencies, and half the staff is out looking for the man. Anyway, the head nurse said you should keep wearing the supporter they placed there around your knee and use crutches for a week to rest your leg,' Quatre lifted up the pair of crutches he held, 'but you're free to go. The nurse also said give fighting a rest during that time period too-'  
'Fuck that, no.'  
'-and you'd need to stretch out your muscles,' Quatre continued on, ignoring Duo's bleated oath.  
'I'd like to stretch my muscles right now by walking outta of this place- have you got the blasted key?' Duo jerked at the chains binding him to the bed. 'I feel like a prisoner in these. Why do I always get locked up?'  
'It's your fault for pulling all those stunts before. They wouldn't have ordered those things if you were more mature about-'  
Duo rolled his eyes.  
'Spare me the lecture Quatre. Just get me out of here, please!'  
Quatre took out a key and dangled it out in the space between them.  
'Hmm... I don't know Duo. For your sake, maybe it would better if you stayed here for at least a night's observation....'  
'Quatre!'  
'Sorry,' Quatre said apologetically, the laughter in his eyes in belying his carefully toned words. 'I'll unlock you now.'  
'Thanks,' Duo rubbed his wrists as he stood wobbly up from the bed. 'Do you know if the old guy, Odin, is okay?' he asked anxiously.  
'Since he was the person they were looking for, I presume so.'  
Duo started laughing.  
'Hell, I thought the Huntsmen Leader would be more of the stuck up sort who lets his men do the real fighting for him, but you know what, I think he's the type of leader I'd follow after all. He's my kind of guy. I'm not big on officialdom or military like groups, but having to enter the Huntsmen Clan after I finish my scholarship here doesn't seem to be too bad actually.'  
'I'd be joining too, actually, once I'm old enough. We've both only got a year left. Unfortunately, there's still the additional year before active service is allowed.'  
Duo's reaching hands curled around the crutches Quatre offered him in white knuckled shock.  
'You're going to enter too? Why? You've got a sight lot more choices than I do. Hell- unlike me, the entire world can't do without you! You're the Winner heir! That's not something to take lightly- you're not just a typical rich boy, and you know it! There are literally millions of people depended on the Winner Enterprise, which you will be responsible for. You can't just throw all your responsibilities away, and join the suicide squad. You just can't! You're not a nothing like me. People are dependent on you.'  
Quatre met Duo's angry eyes with a cool look.  
'I don't plan to suicide, Duo. It's because of my responsibilities that I have to join. The truth is, the risk of dying from a Parasite attack is the same anywhere- be it an ordinary business office or the outside on the streets. Or even,' he said softly, 'in a high secured area of a private mansion with the gates closed to the general public. It may seemed that it would be safer to hide away from the Parasite plague, enclosed in some guarded high, ivory clad tower far away from the danger, but there are no guarantees that death won't come visiting. I know this from experience.'  
'Damnit Quatre, I just...' Duo looked frustrated. 'I just didn't want... You're just so good. Better than me in, well, damn everything, so I just wanted...' the words would not come to his throat. Fear that voicing his feelings would lead to exactly what he didn't want kept his tongue stuck. 'Well,' he finally managed, 'fuck! You know, fuck!'  
'I know, Duo. But hey,' Quatre smiled sympathetically. 'You're my best friend. I'm not going to let anything happen to you too, you know.' He pressed the crutches into Duo's hands. 'You guard my back, and I'll guard yours.'  
Duo smiled a half waned grin.  
'Hell, Quatre, you're making me feel so warm that I feel that I'm cheating on my partner, good ol' Heero,' he gave a wink. 'Maybe I can get a divorce, and get just together with you if Noin allowed it?'  
Quatre laughed and shook his head.  
'Thanks for the offer, but I believe I'm taken too.' His smiled dropped. 'How do you feel about Heero now? Are you still getting... that feeling?'  
'...yeah... Actually, I got a lot of weird, shit messages from the guy today. It's like he's been dropped off on Earth from a place outer than the Colonies, on top of his head. Not only that, today...'  
'What?  
Duo shook his head. The incident in the armoury had been just plain weird. Duo felt uncomfortable with discussing it with Quatre. Shit, for a damn second he had attracted to a flaming flipping freak of a guy!  
'Nothing really,' he muttered. 'I think that the asshole needs close watching. He's a psychopath, that one. With the loose way he fights, he could seriously injure others.' He scowled at Quatre. 'Why did you have to luck out with the one eye Cyclops? At least he keeps his mouth shut instead of mouthing off and being so big and arrogant for his shoes.'  
Duo tucked the crutches underneath his arms. He then looked at his weapon then back at the crutches. Shrugging, he swapped one of the crutches for the scythe. Using a combination of support from the crutch and the scythe pole. With an oof, he swung over to the door.  
'Duo?'  
Duo looked over his shoulders and grinned.  
'Yeah?'  
'Do you... want to swap?'  
'Swap partners?' Duo blinked.  
'Yes.'  
'Do you?'  
Quatre shifted his legs and stuck his hands in his pockets.  
'Well, if you do, I'm fine with it. If you want, you can partner Trowa and I'll partner Heero.'  
He thought about it.  
'Actually... no. There's a mystery to Heero that I want to get down to the bottom of, and I'll be damned if I'll give up midway. Are you having some sort of problems hooking up with Trowa or something?'  
'No.'  
'Oh, then that's all is good, right? It must be nice to get along.' Duo grinned and turned away, completely missing Quatre's suddenly sombre and torn expression. 'Come on, let's get out of this hellhole already!'

TBC.


	24. Chapter 24

The fact was, his leg didn't hurt that much at all, but Duo knew that by the next day, it would be bitching at him for sure. Being the dramatic type, he admitted that he was overplaying the injury with his larger than necessary swaying throughout the corridors. Duo was deliberately trying to bump Quatre over. Quatre, of course, after the third such rocky bump that send him staggering, soon figured it our. Now the blond walked directly to the side of him, daring him to try knock him over, but moving quickly away whenever Duo tried. Quatre was smoothly baiting him. Duo knew that, but he didn't care. The challenge was on.  
So far Duo had slammed himself twenty nine times on the opposite wall of the hallways in the hospital wing and the dorm- they had refrained by playing in the snow between the buildings as Duo had to struggle a bit with the piled deepness so Quatre had waited until they were in the warmth of the dorm block- but Duo had gotten Quatre at least seven times during his attempts. It was with mutually bruised shoulders that they reached their door, and Quatre reached over to open it. Sensing his chance, Duo bumped Quatre with a big grin.  
'Oops! Clumsy me- whoaaaa-!'  
The door swung open just as Duo toppled into Quatre- who toppled into Trowa into the doorway. The domino effect stopped with just the two of them as Trowa stood like a brickwall supporting both Quatre with his face pressed against his chest, and Duo, with the tips of his left fingers awkwardly keeping his Deathscythe from falling, and his other hand jerking down Quatre's back collar in a way that made the blond choke against Trowa. Duo quickly released Quatre's collar and stepped back. The blond wiped the spittle from his lips and flushed red. Quatre avoided Trowa's eyes and shot a quick hard look at Duo. The pushing game was definitely over. Quatre was not happy.  
Duo held up a calming hand, knowing Quatre didn't like showing awkwardness of any sort- especially in front of people he felt uncomfortable with. A la Trowa, major freaky boy to Quatre. Not exactly the sort of person Quatre had probably wanted to dribble over the chest of while being choked from behind.  
'Sorry. I really didn't meant to-' Duo began to rapidly apologise to calm Quatre- and promptly tripped on the crutch he had dropped onto the floor and forgotten about. He did a funny whirl as his strived to keep his balance, but because his knees had by now stiffened in protest at the intensive actions of the day, he ended falling backwards.  
'Waa-' he cried out as he ungracefully when down, '...aaah- oh, whoa!'  
Duo blinked as he was suddenly saved from falling down flat on his buttocks by a strong hold, and pushed back up by a force that sent him stumbling into Quatre again. They both recovered themselves.  
'Heero.' Trowa nodded to the person behind Duo's back.  
Duo stiffened, then turned. Damn. Of all people to trip up in front of! And helped up by, not less! Duo shared Quatre's exact sentiments regarding Trowa with Heero. Actually, no. Quatre merely disliked being embarrassed. Duo hated to be embarrassed.  
Duo scowled.  
'Thanks...' he said reluctantly, practically forcing the words through his throat, like bile. But I damn well didn't need your help, he thought. His ass, after all, could have handled the floor just fine.  
Heero looked stonily at Duo, then grunted and roughly shouldered past him.  
'Hey, watch it buddy!' Duo growled. 'Look more carefully, I'm here.'  
Heero paused, then looked Duo up and down. A frown appeared on his face as Heero intensely stared at Duo. After a minute of this silent survey, Quatre too started to look as uneasy as Duo felt. Trowa, however, seemed unperturbed by the Heero's actions. Indeed, he seemed to be participating in the strange inspection himself, peering at Duo with the curiosity of a young fox expecting something to happen.  
If, on some sort of silent clue, the two lifted their eyes from Duo and looked to each other. Trowa shrugged at Heero. Heero scowled and turned back to Duo.  
'What's there to notice about you?' he questioned Duo. 'You have nothing worthy.'  
'Excuse me?' Duo nearly spluttered. 'I am plenty worthy- I'm a human being!'  
Heero snorted.  
'Like that means anything. Life is cheap.' He looked coolly at Duo. 'Especially your kind. There's always more where you come from. Too many, I believe.'  
A sharp hiss came from Quatre at the slight. Duo only saw red. Initially, when he first entered the Academy, he had encountered more than his fair share of snobs.  
Street trash. L2 dirt. Words only, but barely civilised words which carried the clear distaste of the absolute poverty Duo knew well. But fuck them. It took more balls to survive the streets, than asking pocket money from mama and papa.  
He hadn't been no easy target, and he soon proved it. Humility became a bully. He'd soon cured the sense of eliteness the snobs held about their fighting ability. Granted, as spoilt and fussy as pretty rich boy Quatre had been when they first began sharing, Quatre had not been a snob. Just a snot.  
The sheer distaste in the all too familiar curl of Heero's lips had never graced anyone who became his friend. That had twisted the lips of the bullies he'd beaten at their own games, and snobs who were lost in their own world. Then again, Duo never had any inking to befriend a self delusional prick. It wasn't just pride being shitted out of his asshole- the fucking prideful I-am-mister-indestructible Heero genuinely thought he was above his kind- as if the guy was some sort of perfect specimen, alienated from human flaws. Well, that would be the fucking day! The only alien species here on the planet he happened to be on at the moment were Parasites only- and they were below humans because they were so friggin stupid. Heero may think the sun shone out of his dick slit, but every human had his flaws.  
Heero's was his overbearing arrogance, and his supreme confidence that he was the best. It was the sort of thinking that killed many guys he'd known. Duo decided right then and there that there was no time like the present to begin pointing out Heero's flaw to him. And the only way to do that was to teach Heero the hard way. Sure, he was a little down after the Parasite outbreak thing, but he'd be damned if he would take the sneering look and insult from the fucker.  
So he right hooked Heero.  
Or tried.  
Heero's hand captured his first. And didn't let go. Heero eyes flicked down at the fist he held, then back at Duo's reddened face.  
'Now what?' he said in a distant, monotone. 'According to the rule book, I believe fighting in the dormitory is not permitted unless it is an extreme case.'  
'Let's just say that you are the extreme case, so fuck me, brother!'  
Heero's head snapped to the side, as Duo's left hook succeeded. Deathscythe fell down with a deep thud on the wooden floors. The Dorm Head was going to give him hell for bruising the expensive flooring, but Duo didn't care. First blood was his. Duo didn't have time to smirk about it though.  
Bright blue eyes flashed at him from as Heero dropped to the floor and kicked out at Duo's knees, aiming for Duo's weak point. Duo swore and attempted to avoid the kick. He was partially successfully- he stumbled as he jumped, and fell into the wall. Heero dove for him, and grabbed Duo's shirt. Twisting it, he slammed Duo back. His hand snaked up in a curved narrow fork and darted forward to Duo's neck.  
'Stop. That's enough,' Quatre said quietly.  
Duo blinked.  
Quatre's hand scythe laid curved against Heero's neck. The blond had moved in a blink, and stood to the side of Heero. Heero's hand was still outstretched, frozen its act of closing into Duo's neck. Duo's pulse thudded rapidly a bare millimetre away from Heero's palm. A thin, red line appeared on Heero's neck, and Duo watched as a droplet formed. It trickled down Quatre's gleaming blade.  
An expression of incredibility appeared on Heero's face. The other boy looked as if he had never encountered anyone who ever pricked the pride of his before. Quatre, with his move, had suddenly shown Heero how vulnerable he could be. Heero had clearly underestimate Quatre. His mistake.  
It was very apparent on Heero's face he didn't like making mistakes. Heero's cold blue eyes flickered from Quatre's knife to Duo.  
Duo broke out in a nasty, big grin. Yep. That was why he trusted Quatre to guard his back. Nothing like lil' ol' Quatre when he got upset. He could, of course, handled Heero well enough on his own, but he'd indulge Quatre. Duo gave Heero an airy kiss, smacking his lips together in a false, flirtatious action, then smirked even more nastily. Hell, that stone face could crack, after all. It was a cause for celebration.  
Heero's eyes turned to completely icy.  
'Don't goat him, Duo.'  
Duo's grin grew larger. He stared into Heero's eyes without wavering, enjoying the anger he saw there. Then suddenly, his breath hitched. God. That sensation again. His stomach heaved upwards as he felt the floor beneath him drop. His chest tightened. He couldn't breath. Heero's eyes... they were swirling again... changing... drawing him yet again into the depths of foggy mind numbing darkness that Duo did not want again to experience. No.  
He did.  
He wanted to see what lay beyond, again.  
'Heero. That is enough.'  
Duo blinked, confused as the storm around him suddenly subsided. Heero had turned his eyes away from Duo and was now glaring at his friend. The tall youth touched the shorter boy on his shoulder and drew Heero slowly away from Duo. Quatre's blade followed Heero's movement. Trowa looked at Quatre's tight expression.  
'Quatre. Heero will not fight. He will restrain himself from attacking your weak and injured friend there.'  
'Hey, I'm not weak!' Duo protested, his faint, wavering voice belying his statement.  
But it seemed like Duo might have well merged with the swaying walls, for all the attention the Quatre and Trowa paid him.  
Trowa touched the tip of Quatre's scythe.  
'So you can lower down your weapon. Please.'  
Quatre's lips pressed themselves together, but he moved the blade away from Heero's throat. The action was watched closely by all the boys, but Duo. Duo could not focus his attention enough on the scene. He felt like he had ridden a space ship with no thrusters adjusters.  
'He started it.' Heero's sullen, muttered comment sounded distant to Duo's ears.  
'It doesn't matter. Keep your words to yourself.' He nodded at Quatre and Duo. 'In this place, we all must try to get along.' He bowed to them. 'I apologise for his ill thought out words.'  
'Okay,' Duo tried to formulate a smart aleck reply. It didn't work, so he gave up. Damn, he felt like vomiting. He pushed himself up weakly, using the wall.  
Quatre caught his movement, and his attention once more focused on Duo.  
'Duo?'  
Duo fell into Heero. Without thinking, Heero smoothly caught Duo. The other boy blinked down at Duo after his action, and then scowled. Duo found himself shoved to Quatre. Duo stumbled and caught his balance before he could find himself impaled on Quatre's unsheathed scythes.  
The close call cleared his strangely fogged mind.  
'Oh fucker!' he swore. He turned around to glare at Heero. 'Are you trying to kill me?'  
Heero paused.  
'Not now. Maybe later.'  
Duo scowled and opened his mouth to deliver a scathing comment back, however Trowa intruded before he did. The boy tapped Heero on the shoulder and shot him a hard look from under his long fringe. Duo couldn't decipher what the look meant, but it made Heero close his mouth, and turned his back on him. Without another word, the dark brown hair boy entered the dorm room. He stayed silent, and ignored Duo completely from the top of his bunk when Quatre and Duo followed the two in.  
Why that somewhat irked him, Duo had no idea.

TBC.


	25. Chapter 25

'Attention, attention.'  
The crowd lazily flowed into the large chamber within the Center. It was a huge room, built into the lower depths of the South side wing. Intricate designs of leaves and flowers were threaded in metal work all around the towering walls, continuing up even to the roof despite their designs disappearing from actual view. It was one of the rooms where none of the bare metal of the castle had been covered by conventional wood flooring, or plastered over to provide a more natural, Earth created habitual look. Since the floors were decorated in the same pattern as the walls, it provided a needed, counterpart grip to Heero's polished leather shoes. Echoes bouncing back from the curved ceiling of the room merged in with the stepping chatter of the students around him, increasing the loudness of the young humans as they vented their excitement at being released from study- something that the week's classes had consisted of, as the training rooms had been all sealed off for the duration for checks. A nearby merged cry of female voices erupted as two girls caught up with friends from other classes. Trowa next to him flinched at the high pitch sound. Heero just grunted at the annoyance. Unlike Trowa, his hearing was not as sensitive.  
'Attention, attention. Classes A1 to A50, classes B1 to B50...'  
He trod like a stiff stone statue behind Trowa's light steps. They were moving forward slowly. Many of the crowd of students had their heads craned, as they gawked at their surroundings. Heero surmised that the room was not a common one for use, but the amount of attention they paid to the complex cut design of the walls as well embedded, sparkling diamond stones sealed in the designs was strange. As if they were looking at food. His stomach growled at the thought. He was looking at food. Every single living body around him was food, and after nearly a fortnight of surviving on plain fare- the measly offerings of humans, he was starting to want one for himself, be it a corpse or a live body. Maybe six or so. He knew Trowa was similarly hungry. His animistic metabolism was as carnivorous as his, although they ate different volumes of meat. The snow outside had intensified, and so Trowa's nightly hunts were lately proving unfruitful. The meals provided during the period the training chambers had been closed had been vegetarian. They could both process the nutrients, and it fulfilled their basic needs, but it did not fulfil their desire for meat- particularly his taste for the human flesh. The warmth from many bodies crowded in one place heightened his hunger. Saliva formed in his mouth. But he kept his hunger strictly to himself, despite the tempting sights. He was not a Second class Parasite after all. He was First class.  
The variety of weapons each individual carried around warded against such foolish actions of attacking any of the walking meat too.  
Not that such things could stop him if he was truly ravenous.  
A dark scowl passed his face.  
Not even that blond human could. He would not be surprised twice. He'd take a chunk out of the boy's rump before the Winner boy could even touch his weapons next time.  
'Stop that,' came Trowa's soft caution. 'You're growling. I'm the one whose suppose to be canine, not you.'  
'Hnf.' He grunted.  
'That's more like it,' Trowa noted with an amused tone that Heero did not understand.  
Smalls things, elusive to Heero, seem to stroke Trowa's odd sense of humour at even odder times. This, apparently, was another one of those occasions.  
'All students- please line up in your designated rows. The list will be repeated. Attention, attention. From the left, classes...'  
Besides the young, armed students, and their accompanying teachers in the art of killing, half the garrison that guarded the perimeters of the campus were also in the huge room. Their presence not only kept tight order, their outer coats provided a relieving splash of dark red against the unrelenting plain grey of the Academy uniform. Rather like pools of blood on stone pavement, he found. The military like force also was a grim reminder to him that the Huntsmen Academy was an Academy breeding killers for a purpose at all. To wipe out those of his kind, and the like. Heero found his eyes sliding over to Trowa, to see if Trowa felt at all uncomfortable in such a crowd.  
Heero didn't. He was perfectly fine in a crowd of meat, as he was in a forest. Trowa wasn't. In areas populated by humans, the tall youth was always solemn and quiet, his eyes forever watchful of the beings around him, and his guard up. The only times he had ever seen Trowa relax was in the occasional thick forests they would cross to move across the globe, or a similar, wild environment untouched by the taint of humans. Never had he seen Trowa lie in his fox form, belly up as he drowsed half asleep, in the human world. It seemed to be an activity the young fox indulged in whenever he felt safe. In the built up areas of human residence, Trowa always slinked past danger, changing into his weaker human self to blend and camouflage him true self away from being seen.  
They would have stayed away from humankind, and resided in the wildness, but for the Parasites.  
Only a few months ago, it was almost like a switch had been thrown in Trowa, and they began encountering Parasites at a near constant rate in every area they travelled to. Heero could sense something at the edges of the thin web layer of the mental network connecting the Parasites they fought, but it was nothing solid they could attack. It left a bitter like taste in his mouth that he could not find the origin of the pulse wave, but the web links trailed back into fog. The unknown enemy was too distant. It reminded him of the base. The attack then too, had been made by an unknown entity which no media had covered or gave name to, despite the burnt out images of the base appearing on the screens presented in the windows of shops where humans sold the newest electronic wares from, when the obvious fact that Parasites exists was first broadcasted to the public two Winters ago. The unknown, Heero found out, irritated him.  
Extremely.  
Because of whatever was in Trowa, they could not hide easily. All it took was for Trowa to be in the vicinity of a controlled Parasite, and the darkness would flare, bring on the attacks. Since hiding was not an alternative, not that he thought much of it, they did the only thing they could, and that was to keep running. In the cities, thanks to the presence of the Huntsmen, the numbers of attacks dropped, but it was exhausting for Trowa to continuous keep on fighting in the unmonitored areas of the cities whist maintaining his everyday cover. His healing differed not only in its slow speed, but the automated action drained energy from the Project Three specimen.  
Had Heero thought out his circumstance with a cool and logical head, perhaps it would have occurred to him to leave Trowa to avoid being dragged into the almost never ending fights. Yet he didn't. Partially was that it hadn't occurred to him to mind the fights. It was a mere continuance of his former training on a larger, more regular basis, or so it seemed to him. If he knew the actual meaning of the word "friend", Heero would have been able to define his stance more easily. As it was, that wasn't in his vocabulary of clearly understood words. However, Heero did know, in the vaguest of ways, was that Trowa was needed in his existence somehow, as protection against the unsettling hollow feeling that arose in him whenever he looked and observed the surroundings he had flung himself in. The sheer wide movement and flow of the human world was so different from the enclosed world of his origins. Trowa, he knew, shared his views. The world was alien to him as it was to Heero, and having Trowa by his side, although he was unable to form it into words, did provide him with a feeling of warmth.  
It didn't matter how little he understood his emotions, he would follow them. Following emotions was simply practical. That had kept him alive in the absence of a higher authority. It was not a human ideal, but a basic living instinct.  
'We are gathered here today for this special assembly...'  
Their class ended up in the exact centre, at the front row. Casually flickering his eyes around the line, he saw the blond boy, Winner, the third member from the front, turn to the Peacecraft girl behind him. His lips formed a few, unuttered words.  
Do you know what this is about?  
He read the faint lip movement easily from his position at the back of the line. The girl shook her head, and he turned back. He knew Trowa had his eyes on Winner too. From the start, the fox had his attention mostly directed to the study of their shared roommate, and his forced partner. Granted, his focus on the human was a lot more intense than that previously when they had first began to study the mechanism of human behaviour, and Trowa got caught up with the way humans interacted. It was the first time he had noticed Trowa paying strict attention to only one individual. Normally the tall youth would stand from afar and draw his thesis from the overall picture the mass presented, but ever since coming to the Academy, Trowa seemed to be basically ignoring most of his surroundings in favour of looking onto his assigned "partner". Who also seemed to be observing him just as equally. Abide, more discretely with flickers of the eye when he was turned in their direction.  
He studied the back of the boy.  
Heero was keeping a closer eye on Winner himself, since the human had gotten past his defences.  
Perhaps, again, Trowa was right in his assessment that Winner was a true danger? Trowa did have more sensitive a nose for such.  
But he had listed the loud Maxwell human as well as a danger. Now that couldn't be possibly correct.  
The human was a dysfunctioning moron. And weak. He had defeated the human many times, Heero thought dismissively.  
Cobalt blue eyes bordering on violet flashed in his mind. The look of familiar emptiness, more stark than the white walls of the arsenal room. There was that time that... no. That time was different. He had... not been himself. He had allowed Maxwell to take the upper hand.  
Unlike the blond whose blade had appeared in a strike he had not even predicted or noticed until the blade was at his throat.  
Hmm...  
Winner needed to be killed to ensure their continued safety, was the conclusion Heero arrived at. He was sure Trowa had also arrived at the same conclusion. Possibly earlier. Trowa usually thought ahead of him, but the fox also occasional thought along different lines to him as well. He would need to check if his conclusion was indeed the correct solution. Heero had been thinking about it since that night, but the risk of taking out the blond was high. Their chances of being found out and being force to leave the temporary haven was higher than the risk of Winner's potential danger to them.  
But Heero didn't like grey areas. Having a proven threat nearby him was too much of a grey area.  
Heero tugged at Trowa's jacket. The tall youth tilted his head slightly to the side, but did not turn around. It was Trowa's way of indicating he was listening.  
'I'm going to kill him,' he stated under his breath.  
'No,' Trowa murmured back. 'Wait.'  
'Why?'  
'Because the other one is always watching.'  
'The other one is a mere weakling.'  
'He is not.'  
'Hmph.'  
'And he is watching even now. He's behind you. Ten bodies down.'  
Heero grunted.  
'I know.'  
Since morning, he had felt the gaze on his back. He did not need senses as highly developed as Trowa's to know the exact location of his partner.  
'They seem to be watching us all the time.'  
'So?'  
'I don't know such behaviour to be normal of humans. We are doing nothing out of the ordinary, as far as I know.'  
'Perhaps they're just not normal.'  
'I think so myself. Which is why we should wait. And watch the watchers ourselves.'  
'Easier to kill them. Haven't you rested enough?'  
'Yes. But I would like to spend some time here studying them.'  
'Why?'  
'I don't kn...'  
It was then Trowa's voice was overridden by the speaker on stage, as the person's voice grew in such a volume that the person was shouting. Trowa stop speaking and tensed up at the booming sound echoing from the large, round chamber's walls.  
'...the Huntsmen needs you now. You are both our future and hope. We need your help- now. Otherwise, we cannot have a future!'  
A soft, surprised sigh of air came from Trowa.  
'It looks like they're sending their pups to war. Odd. I thought humans usually protect their young.'  
'Hnn,' Heero said uncaringly.  
Footsteps approached from behind them. They kept their faces blank, expecting the person to pass. The red coated adult that paused beside them did not.  
'You two. You are Yuy and Barton, correct?'  
'Yes sir,' Trowa replied for the both of them.  
'Here,' the Huntsman said, passing them a yellow note. 'You have a meeting here after this assembly. It's in the barracks. If you need any help getting to the location, just show any Huntsmen this note, and they will escort you there.'  
'What's this meeting about?'  
'You'll be informed then.'  
The Huntsman continued along the line. Trowa and Heero watched as the Huntsman paused a few more times and spoke with some members from their class, passing along similar yellow notes to each. The Huntsman stopped finally before Quatre and Relena, and handed out the last two notes in his hand, before he walked past the front lines and disappeared at the edges of the gathering. Heero felt his skin prickle gain, as it had been doing for the last week, and he turned with a scowl to glare at the cause.  
Maxwell caught the look and scowled back. He turned red at the same time. In unison, they broke eye contact- Maxwell with a huff, and Heero with a growl which made Trowa briefly glance back at Heero with a raised eyebrow before turning back with a shrug. Heero returned his attention back to the front and kept it there, still scowling. Maxwell had the same yellow note in hand. They would be attending the same meeting afterwards.  
The meeting better not be as long as the ridiculous assembly they were being forced to participate in. 

TBC.


	26. Chapter 26

'Attention, attention. Please be quiet.'  
During the round of the solo Huntsmen, the crowd had steadily grown loader and more restless.  
'This is ridiculous! Those figures can't be true!'  
'Do you really expect us all to believe such utter bullshit!? You've got to be fucking joking!' came a shout.  
'They're children! They shouldn't be on the frontlines!' There were even shouts even from the ranks of the Huntsmen.  
The whole assembly was a shock to the entire crowd. Later, when the special assembly was over, and the footage of it edited, the words spoken on the stage would shock the entire world. As it was, the information was conveyed only to the ones who it would effect first- the academic students of the Huntsmen crowd. Although all of the campus was within the room, there were more rooms viewing only the highly secured private lines of the Huntsmen Clan on the various other campuses around the world and space. The electronic shouts and cries of outrage broadcasted directly back into the room only added to the dim of furious noise in the room.  
'Silence!' came a roar as a tall figure parted the curtain.  
The Huntsmen Leader had arrived. The noisy dim immediately died down, however whispers throughout the crowd remained. The crowd had become more bidding, but it had not completely given in.  
'It is not an extreme measure- it is a necessary measure. In order to secure the future of man, we much defend the population with all our able bodies- because we won't have any population left. We don't have time to raise fighters- we need fighters now. Every single body here in this room has been trained to become a warrior,' the silver blond man spoke with a strong voice, his chin raised to meet the hostile stares from the glaring crowd. 'It is hoped that everyone here in this room has the soul of a warrior. Those who do not... well, we hope you will fight anyway, because otherwise we're all going to die.'  
'Hell, we're all going to die anyway. Might as well die young and make a lovely lookin' corpse.'  
'Hush Duo. That's our Leader Odin Lowe speaking! You shouldn't disrespect him!'  
'Hirde, you said he looked like a pervert who indulged in skirt lifting on public transportation before he was introduced, didn't you?'  
'That was before I knew he was The One, you know. Our head honcho chief and all. Didn't you make the same mistake before- hmm?'  
'Yeah, but he wasn't cleaned up the way he is now. He looked like street bum then, not some sort of groomed celebrity. Don't you read the newspapers, or least Tabloids?' he said out of the side of his mouth. The Huntsmen Clan guards were spreading out through the crowd now, quietly seeking to contain any potential violence as Odin continued one with his speech on stage.  
Hirde sniffed.  
'Well of course not! I'm too totally wiped after training to care.'  
'Yet amazingly enough, you find time to steal the latest romance novels out of Relena's postage package she gets daily from all corners of space, read them, and place them back before she notices.'  
'For your information, I only steal those books when there's nothing else of interest. Noin's packages are much more interesting! She secretly collects guy porn that...'  
'Shit. Stop! I don't want to fucking know.'  
A shudder went down Duo's spine.  
'I don't want to know what gets her rocks- she's our homeroom teacher! I still want to look her in the eye, you know.'  
'Heh heh.' Hirde giggled. 'Anyway, it's part of my training, I'll have you know. Sneaking around really keeps you into practice- and unlike you, I'm not interested in breaking in for the sake of things. I want a prize at the end too. But I'll say it is hard getting in there, with all those dogs pawing around and the arm guards holding down a frigging mail room for heck's sake. '  
'Erm, well, considering that there's a main intelligence base of the Huntsmen headquartered in our very own campus, there could be a reason why they don't want people getting in there.'  
He could feel Hirde roll her eyes behind his back.  
'Main base, my butt. Everyone knows there's about three or four times as many students then men manning those tiny buildings. It hardly goes down much below ground at all, either, so there can't be more than two hundred- max, three and a half double zeros foxes,' Hirde used the slang term for the redcoat Huntmen, 'running around in that den. It is so not a main base. My city had a task force of over two thousand and it's counted as a supportive branch of the Huntsmen Clan only.'  
'Yeah, but it's different with real cities, as you know. There's more hiding places from Paras and all, plus the population's higher and all. Two thousand is thin cover over a mid-size city... wait a moment, Hirde, aren't you from New York?'  
'Yeah.'  
'Two thousand only? For that city? You've got to be kidding. Even the police force's over six thousand.'  
'That was before the second plague,' Hirde corrected. 'The population's gone down since then. Our police force is about the same size as the Huntsmen Clan now.- about three thousand or so'  
'Yeah, but fifty percent? The average's twenty now in Earth cities. It's not like the Colonies. You guys have movement.'  
'No... sixty is the percent the mayor gave when I went back... and we're still dropping. But our rates are high because we're packed in, like a Colony, you see. It's... hard to spot and escape those things. Most intensely populated cities have a lower rate though, but they're all still higher than the Earth average. That's just given.'  
'Fuck. Why don't you move?'  
'Some do. Most don't.'  
'Why?'  
'Well, we're New Yorkers.' There was a touch of defiance in Hirde's voice. It was clearly build on pride. 'It's our city.'  
'Sorry. Don't get it. I'm a L2 rat. I value survival.'  
Duo felt Hirde sharply poked him from behind.  
'So why are you here?' she asked pointedly. 'If you value survival?'  
'Well, because I do, I'm here. Otherwise all of humanity's numbers will be wiped.' Duo nodded towards the front. 'Shit Hirde, I think the world might be a more sickly state then we first thought.'  
Hirde followed his line of sight. Upon stage, a several graphs were flickering in hologram light before a silent Huntsmen leader. Odin Lowe was letting the figures do all the talking for him. It had effect. All around them, the formerly protesting crowd had fallen quiet.  
'If those stats are true...'  
'...yeah.' Hirde breathed out. 'We might be more screwed than those guys doing the bendy thing in Noin's magazines.'  
'Hirde. I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that.'  
'And so the Sunday Christian church boy in you speaks out.'  
'I'm not a Christian. I'm an Atheist who happens to believe only in the God of Death- and there's my proof.'  
Hirde's hand tugged at the back of Duo's uniform. He felt her twist the material in her fist, then Hirde leant against Duo's back. She was taking deep, breaths, unconsciously attempting to settle her obviously panicked state. Although they had been talking through Odin's initial speech, they too, like the others around them, fell silent now as Lowe made point after point in cold statistics of the current situation the world and space was facing.  
'...and so, you can see, we have no choice. All those who can fight, must fight. Even our children. We are in war.'  
Odin's words echoed throughout the broad hall, his voice carrying weight to every ear.  
'We must fight.'  
'...Duo...' Hirde said softly.  
'What?'  
'If your God of Death isn't on our side, I'll say screw him. We'll take him on and win.'  
In the roar of the crowds that followed Odin's words, it was impossible for Duo to be heard as he turned to look at his friend. Instead, wordlessly, he held up the yellow note he'd received along with Hirde from a Huntsmen member earlier on. Hirde lifted up hers, and slapped it against his. They both could easily guess what the invitation to the meeting meant. And Duo knew, along with every person who had received the note, they would not refuse the offer that would come then.

TBC.


	27. Chapter 27

The spotlight always made him sweat like a teenager on his first date. Odin lifted up his armpits and sniffed under both of them. Not bad. He wiped back his hair from his face and looked at the mirror. Bleary red eyes looked back at him. Aw shit- he looked like he'd finished a bottle or two last night and was suffering from the after effects. Not a good look. 'Specially for first meetings. Those kids he was planning to meet would run screaming from him at first sight- looking like hell usually prompted that effect.  
Odin opened the medicine cabinet and searched for eye droplets. Good ol' Zechs usually had everything stocked in his cabinet. Which was why Odin had freely let himself to the Second's private quarters in his bid to freshen up after the public show. Zechs had been caught by the media, so Odin had done his usual trick of breaking and entering into the Second's quarters. Not that he would hide the fact he'd been in Zechs' room. He was partially there to wait for Zechs to escape the reporters that attacked like homicidal pigeons after the announcement. He'd do his official duties- posing liked a fluffed up chicken on the stage and speaking out to vast audiences or whatever was required- but if given the slightest chance, he'd sooner squirm his way out of taking care of media relations. Question time after speeches was, to him rather... trying. Though he could conjure and memorise speeches at the drop of a hat, without much preparation, Odin knew very well he had the tendency to put his foot in it when tossing thoughts from the top of his head. To convey a respectable image, one had to lack humour in the delivery of facts, and that was one that Odin knew Zechs was far more suited towards. Not only was the Second more gifted than him in political matters- no doubt owing to his rather respectable and awe inspiring bloodlines- the Second took himself so pompously seriously that he convinced all but equally stubborn people to his side. Which, considering the delicate nature of new proposal, was going to be a rather handy skill.  
Sending children to the frontlines was against civilized thinking- even when necessary to maintain the blasted civilization who felt it to be morally wrong.  
Odin shrugged off the discomfort he felt himself, and concentrated hard on ripping the protective wrapping from the box of eye droplets he found. He dropped a few droplets in each eye, blinked, then looked back at the mirror. Okay. Hm... he sniffed at himself again. Yeah, maybe he'd better use the deodorant. He eyed the medicine cabinet again. Then frowned. There was none. But there was some sort of expensive looking cologne. Shrugging, he pulled the lid off and sprayed himself.  
Odin gagged.  
'Holy fuck- what is this shit?'  
Waving his left hand vigorously in the air, trying in vain to dissipate the smell, Odin lifted the bottle to eye level.  
'"Sanq"- man, that would figure! Stuff stinks to high heaven!' he groaned. 'Now I'm gonna have to go and face those kids smelling like some pansy. This stuff's worse than my armpits after a month long jungle tour.'  
A knock on the door was heard. Then a click.  
'Zechs, sorry, but have you...' came a hesitant, female voice.  
'He's not here, Lu-hon',' called out Odin.  
He placed back the bottle and closed the cabinet.  
'Who-!?'  
Odin stuck his head out the bathroom door frame.  
'Just me.'  
Odin grinned cheerfully at the female Lieutenant. The dark hair woman looked taken aback.  
'Sir.'  
'Odin will do just fine, like I said before. No need to be so formal when I want to get to know a pretty lady like you closer,' he winked.  
He ducked back in, checked himself one last time, then sauntered out of the bathroom as he owned the quarters. Odin waved to the couch arrangement in the corner of the room.  
'Have a seat,' he said, grinning.  
Lieutenant Noin frowned, no doubt uncomfortable with relaxing in the private quarters on the bidding of someone other than the owner.  
'Zechs will be joining us later,' Odin said, to make her at ease. Well, it was the truth, even if he was indicating at the same time he was there with Zechs's permission- which would be a blatant lie if he said it directly.  
It worked as Noin relaxed, nodded, and went to the couch as Odin joined her in the small section of the room. Sectioned off from the larger living room, the area was covered on three sides by wall. A small, rectangular window was situated in the middle wall, but rather than sunlight streaming in, as the room was well within the underground section of the Huntsmen Officer quarters, the window provided a view into a lengthy fish tank were medium sized red and gold fishes swam between more numerous but smaller silver fishes in a green seaweed jungle. He noticed housecleaning had done a good job in cleaning and polishing the leather seats after he had bled a little on it during his midnight chat to Zechs.  
'Well, that is good to hear. I was searching for the both of you but... just you will do fine since Zechs is informed already.'  
'Me?'  
Noin lifted up a stiff leather briefcase she held and placed the bag onto the glass table.  
'Zechs suggested perhaps you should see these.'  
She laid out several black folders.  
'What are these?'  
'Student records- specifically, the complete files of those students Zechs said you handpicked out for the first draft. I've no doubt all will accept the offer you plan to make-'  
'Zechs told you-'  
'Of course he did tell me of the plans, sir,' Noin said stiffly. 'I've instructed all of those on the list. I know them the best, and I know what they are capable of as well as no capable of. To be truthful sir, I don't agree with the move to bring them in the active force now- I think it's too soon, even if you do say it's a space wide emergency- but it is your decision as our Leader, and as a mere Lieutenant, I've no choice but to follow, do I sir? Regardless of my personal feelings on the matter, I will obey you, but I absolutely refuse -' she said tightly, 'to put my students in unnecessary danger. If you require a too-young Elite group whom are skilled enough to send to hell and back- survive the experience for propaganda purposes, you will select only from the list I have here. Putting anyone else in the group you intend to create would amount to deliberate manslaughter- or rather, murder.'  
Odin quirked a grin.  
'Bravi, spitfire,' he flipped quickly through the pile and grinned. 'Hm... looks like you picked almost exactly who I want on my list anyway....' He selected one file and settled back in his seat. 'Quatre Raberba Winner- top of the Academy, student president and also heir to the almighty Winner Enterprise. Looks like a pretty boy on the surface but judging by his kill records, pretty boy looks to be less pansy about putting down Parasites then he is about his wardrobe of pink shirts- is it my imagination, or are all the shirts in these photos of him a bloody pink?' He studied the snapshots contained in the black file. Most of them had the blond boy smiling at the camera. Others were snapshots of the blond in full, lethal combat. He turned to the back page of the file. A solemn portrait of the blond boy looked up at him. In it, he wore a white shirt, apparently new by its stiffness. He looked young.  
'Is this him when he first came to the Academy?' Odin tapped the photo.  
'Yes.'  
'Hmm....'  
Odin continued to study the photo. Listed below the photo was a whole lot of dry, detail facts, but Odin didn't spare much more than a courtesy look through the black text. Unlike all the more recent photos in the file, the last photograph captured a look in the blue eyes of the Winner heir that made even Odin uncomfortable. The boy looked... completely blank- as if there was no soul behind the bland face he presented to the cameras. It was as empty as the white walls in the background. On the opposite side of the portrait photo, on his left, was a scanned newspaper article. In contrast to the white blankness of Quatre's portrait photo, the colour clipping was all vivid red and black. It was a shot that Odin was well familiar with as it had been released all over space media at the time of the L4 Winner massacre- and since it was the only image that had been successfully stolen by a skilful paparazzi, the shot had been used repeatedly over and over again- so much so it was sick. It was a full body shot some paparazzi took of the Winner heir as he stood alone before the open gates of a white mansion. Drenched literally in blood, Quatre had not been pristine clean. Most of Quatre's hair had been swept back by the clots. However sticky, some of his dried reddish-orange bangs had fallen forward and the boy had been reaching upwards to push it back. In his hands, however, he still clutched the sickles. He had been looking up when the paparazzi took the picture, so the look on his face was captured as well as his action.  
The look was unforgettable.  
So much so that Odin recalled that there had been one sick disturbed fucker he knew that masturbated to the picture.  
He shuddered and closed the file.  
'Nice boy,' he commented.  
'Very nice,' Noin agreed. 'Maybe too nice for all of this.'  
Odin grunted without comment. He placed down the file. He picked up the largest file he found, his curiosity piped by the size.  
'Whoa- psychological papers, papers and more papers!' Odin just managed to prevent a whole bundle of white papers with text the size of contract print from falling out. 'Whose file is this?'  
'That would probably be Duo Maxwell's- his full file is a lot larger actually. Winner's too is larger- but I've only brought the summary files here.'  
'Damn- I don't recognise half these words here.'  
'He had been scouted for a scholarship here, but it had been hard for him to pass the entrance psychology exam apparently- or rather, he didn't take it too seriously initially, I'm afraid. Due to his results, he had been locked up on recommendation of several doctors for a period of three months before entry into the Academy for deep analysis and consideration.'  
'There's so many hospital names here...'  
'He was rotated around.'  
'There's four pages of institution names....'  
'Maxwell has an unfortunate sense of humour which wasn't agreeable with many.'  
Odin frowned. He began reading the tiny print on the documents. The frown disappeared from his forehead as he did, and a smile began tugging at his lips.  
'Holy- damn, I don't believe this kid,' he laughed out aloud. 'Where the hell did we find him?'  
'Back of the folder, sir,' Noin said softly.  
Odin flipped to the back.  
Like Winner's file, it has an official snap of the Maxwell kid on the last page. Taken almost two years ago, the long hair boy looked very young and his cheeks were a little plump around the wide, dazzling grin he shot at the photographer. He looked cute and mischievous in a devilish sort of way. On the other side of a page, there was a black and white grainy newspaper clipping scanned in. The burnt out building in the picture didn't catch much of Odin's attention until he read the brief.  
'Maxwell... The Maxwell Church- I don't believe it!? He's the boy from that massacre?'  
'Yes.'  
'There's not much information on it here. I know the rough basics, about how the Parasites took out the church, and it got burnt down in the process and all, but the specifics-'  
'Nobody knows. There's not much background information on the case. L2's not really the easiest place to mine information from. Apparently, Duo Maxwell was the only survivor from the massacre but he never spoke a word about what happened on that night- not even to the officials when they questioned him. He'd completely shut up for weeks after it- as you can see, the first medical record we have of his is dated from that time period- the doctors thought he was astute until he finally began snapped out of his shocked state. But even now, Duo doesn't speak about it.'  
'How.... can he smile like that?'  
'I find it amazing myself,' Noin said softly. 'When I first met him, I was expecting some one a lot disturbed- but he's actually one of the most cheerful personalities I've met.'  
'The damn kid's got to be a bipolar psycho,' Odin said flatly. 'But I think I like him.'  
He tossed the file on top of the file he had of Winners.  
'Next- hm, this girl would be an absolute beauty if she'd fixed up those eyebrows of hers- who's- oh....' Odin whistled. 'Dorothy Catalonia... A Catalonia... must be a first at Huntsmen- don't they usually send their spawn over to their own killing training schools to be indoctrinated in the art of war?'  
'She initially did come from the Romafella Special Academy.'  
'Oh really? What made her come over to our side of the fence?'  
Noin paused.  
'To be honest, nobody really knows. Their principal highly recommended her to our Academy, but according to our principal, apparently he did seem extremely displeased with her transfer. We've been keeping an eye on her, in case the move was a political motivated play involved by the old Fundamentalists, but she seems to be a genuine student interested in learning the Huntsmen way- even if she is a bit extraordinary in her provocative viewpoints. Dorothy appears to keep to her Catalonia roots in her attitude, but I'm not sure if she shares her family's supportive views of Earth domination over Space, or not. She has a very ambiguous character. I personally hope that she is open-minded, and supportive of our inter-space government, as she is highly intelligent, and would become a great politician for peace if she chose to be.'  
'Yet despite your uncertainty, you recommend her?'  
'Yes. Because we are up against Parasites, and it doesn't matter what spectrum of politics anyone comes from- we are all human.'  
'Makes for a great catch-cry- and a good point too. She's on the team. Any other pretty ladies? Oh. Relena Peacecraft... She was that short skinny girl who's pretty as pretty can be. A man can be suckered into anything by those Nile blue eyes.'  
'Peacecraft is a very proper young lady, and would never seek to take advantage of people. She is very kind.  
'Sssh... Her file reads like... well, I'm quite surprised her family let her into this place. Her sort of fairytale upbringing doesn't seem fitting for a Huntsmen candidate. The Sanq Kingdom is a country built on Pacifism, I thought.' Odin added the folder to the pile he was building up next to himself.  
'Well, she is a Royal, but the Peacecraft line has long taken the viewpoint that they must do all they can to protect their people in both policy and action. The time when the Sanq Kingdom followed Absolute Pacifism was over even before the Six-Year War. The Sanq Kingdom still does follow Pacifism as a guideline, but has maintained its own self-defence army for nearly five centuries now. It's said that the peacemaker, Heero Yuy had been part of the Sanq's-'  
'Not to meaning to cut you off there, but speaking of another Heero Yuy- have you got the files for the kid with the Yuy name here? I can't seem to find it.'  
'Heero Yuy? The new boy? He's only just transferred in a few weeks ago. Along with Trowa Barton.'  
'I need his too.'  
'I don't have them here. I didn't prepare them.'  
'Oh. Never mind then- I'll read their files later on the Intra. Can you give me a quick rundown on their backgrounds, though, if you could?'  
'Well, they are both transferred from an inter-space branch school that closed. Since their scores were the highest in the school, we agreed with the school to place them in our academy. It was recommended up the line somewhere for them to be placed in my class. At first I was sceptical- normally we rely on proof rather then recommendations- but after seeing the footage of the recent Parasite breakout, I dare say they do belong in the higher levels. But still, I don't think sir, that they would be good candidates. Yuy and Barton are still very raw- they have not even logged one proper training session in the stimulation rooms. Winner, Maxwell, Peacecraft, and Catalonia have logged extensive hours- almost an inhuman and exhaustive amount- hence are levels higher. They will be able to handle real action. Yuy and Barton are both still only mere students.'  
'Honey, I was trapped in that narrow place with more then a baker's dozen of free Parasites crammed belly to belly in with me that it felt like I tripping in some strange, somewhat nerve-racking porno. That Yuy kid saved my ass, and was cool as a cucumber as he did so too. I took a look at the video footage after the event myself- and all those kids have enough lethal talent in their finger tips to make sweet Belladonna Parasite poison au latte popular among the masses. We need them for sure for the New Pack young guns. Plus... another one. The numbers are still too small,- the plan is for seven; we need another pretty face.' Odin reached down and grabbed a random file from the middle of the pile. '... No. Definitely not. No way the public would take to this boy. He's a traditional Royalist to boot. That's worse then the L2 Neo-Republicans. Next-' he pulled out the final file from the bottom. 'Let's see... She's pretty. Looks familiar too. Who's she? Hirde Scheiberker... Scheiberker... Damn, where have I heard that name before?'  
'She's the daughter of the former leader of the New York Neo-Republican branch- and niece to the current mayor, who is now also her guardian since her immediate family had suffered from a Parasite group attack. In one of those rare cases, their mansion had been invaded by a swarm of them.'  
Odin paused.  
'She's definitely in,' Odin stated softly. 'We're done with the list.'  
'Sir, actually, though I did bring her file, there are far better choices from the top class. Her skill level is quite low, and she has only recently managed to enter the class. Her performance in tests, however, indicates she may be slipping out of the ranking.'  
'She has good stealth skills.  
'Pardon?'  
'We've haven't spoken, but I've seen her one or two times ducking out of the mail room when I was heading there.'  
'What? No student is suppose to be within- that's-' Noin recollected herself. 'My utmost apologies, sir! I will make sure she does not-'  
'Please don't scold the girl, 'Lu. Tell you the truth, I wasn't supposed to be there myself, but some officer orders these really good series of lesbian porn and...'  
Noin went red.  
'Odin, please do keep you tongue civilized Lieutenant Noin is a good soldier, but keep in mind, she is also, very much a lady as well,' cut in a cool voice.  
Zechs stood by the table, his long blond hair hanging straight and perfect down his back as usual. Odin occasionally wondered how such a feat was possible. He had investigated the Second's brand of shampoo and conditioner, but when he secretly tried out the hair products, it never had the quite the same shiny and alluring affect on his white hairs.  
'Zechs.' Odin grinned. 'We were waiting for you.'  
The Second sighed. There was a tone of irritation under it, which was not apparent to most listeners, but Odin was well used to picking out.  
'So how was the media?' Odin asked.  
'In more then the usual frenzy, but overall, more accepting then against.' Zechs nodded towards the pile of folders on the table. 'Did you decide?'  
'We have our seven fighters.' Odin glanced at his watch. 'And it looks like its time for me to address them now.'  
He grabbed the four folders he had collected and moved away from the couch, towards the exit. As he did, he bypassed Zechs and tapped the Second's shoulder. Taking it as an indication, the Second followed his leader to the doorway.  
'Yes?'  
Odin leaned into Zech's ear and whispered.  
'Don't worry- I didn't tell 'Lu it was you who ordered those mags. If you let me borrow issue one hundred and seventy eight you'll have my word I won't even tell a soul. I wanna take another look at the special issue.'  
Zechs frowned at Odin.  
'I don't indulge in pornography.'  
'Then what are those stacks in the mail room with your name on it?'  
'You must mean the disposal room that's attached to the mail room. That stores banned items collected, and which are to be disposed of. Although normally a member of my staff, or Noin, handles the task, I gave final approval for the destruction early this week as they had been on other duties.'  
Odin went pale.  
'That's a horrible waste. That was an ultra special double edition!'  
Zechs pushed the button to open the doors and Odin found himself nudged out with a none-too subtle nudge.  
'The main group of youths are gathered in Hall A already. I've prepared the Lodge for the special selection. Pardon me if I do not attend, as I have other matters to discuss with Lieutenant Noin here. Sir.' Zechs saluted Odin. And shut the door.  
Odin shrugged and walked towards the meeting room sector.  
'"Discuss", my ass. The bastard's getting nookie,' he grumbled. 'And I'm fuckin' not.'

TBC.


	28. Chapter 28

The crowd was an utter mess after the curtains on stage was drawn. It was loud, and the media, which had been in the background earlier on, went loose on the crowds. In between the blinding flashes of cameras, and shouted questions, Duo saw the figures of Heero and Trowa disappear into the rapidly moving bodies of both concerned and excited students. He made half an effort to follow them- they seemed to slice through the packed bodies like a hot knife through butter, but he soon gave up as his entire body, especially his legs, was bitching at him. He'd seen the yellow slip of paper they received, and more than suspected they would, like bad pennies, end up in the same place he was asked to go anyway. The Huntsmen barracks.  
'Duo, at the speed you're limping at- we're not going to make it out of the crowds on time! The meeting's in thirty five minutes, and the barracks aren't exactly nearby here!' Hirde said with a frown. 'All of our so called comrades have bypassed us, and probably are already at the location. Most of our class seem to have gotten those yellow passes too. Plus those assholes in Second Class I use to train with. Can't you limp along a little faster? If we're late, it's not going to make a good impression.'  
'Can't help it- there's too many people here-' Duo shouted back at Hirde. 'Screw good first impressions anyway- who the hell cares when you'll ruin it later anyway?'  
'True- but I want to a least try to fake it to get some good points racked up before I use them all up.'  
'I run-'  
Hirde groaned and rolled her eyes.  
'"I hide," yadda yadda.'  
'-but I never lie so faking it is not me, thank you siree-'  
'I'm a girl, dimwit.'  
'I was trying to compliment your manliness.'  
'Nothing wrong with being a female- like, you could even run like a grandmamma with a hot poker up her ass, we'd wouldn't be facing the possibility of being late now! Also, Duo, you totally suck at poetry. You also need a new motto.'  
'Hey, that's not nice-'  
'I'm not sugar- I'm spice.'  
'Now look who sucks at poetry now?'  
'Whatever,' Hirde said, drawing out the word.  
'Duo- where are your crutches? You're not suppose to be off them until next week!'  
Quatre's voice sounded behind his back.  
Duo groaned inwardly.  
'Well, Quatre, it's not like I can weld them easily in this mess. I brought one of them pegs, but it got knocked. It was too much of a bother to retrieve. Deathscythe's more than enough support...'  
'Hirde, you get his left. Duo- pass me Deathscythe I'm taking your right. It'll be easier getting through the crowds this way.'  
'Oy- Deathscythe's my own,' Duo said warningly. He tightened his grip on his Deathscythe.  
Quatre placed a hand over Duo's tight grip.  
'You touched mine. Let me touch yours.'  
'....'  
'Duo?'  
'....aw, shit, fine!'  
Quatre took Deathscythe from Duo's reluctant hand.  
'Thanks.'  
'Well, hell, guess you're my right hand guy- and for fucks sake Hirde- get that damn perverted grin off your face- it's not like that. You're sick.' Duo scowled as he caught sight of the flushed face of his female friend.  
'Huh?' said Quatre in puzzlement.  
'Nevermind- Hirde's got a screw loose, that's all.'  
Hirde only grinned more.  
True to Quatre's words, they did get through the crowds quicker with Quatre and Hirde supporting his weight between them. Duo hated feeling like an invalid, but the warning look Quatre had given him reminded him that he had to cooperate. But despite managing to escape the central chamber room, they found the outgoing hallways so tightly packed that it was hard moving.  
'Shit- we've got fifteen minutes only to make it to the barracks now but at this snail's pace, we're not going to make it,' Hirde cursed softly beneath her breath. 'I don't want to be late! The Huntsmens head's probably be there, and I'd sooner hang before I'll let any of those trio bitches around Relena snigger at me for coming in late'  
'It can't be helped.'  
Hirde sighed. Then Duo felt her straightened underneath his left arm.  
'Oh yes it can- Quatre- can you inched us over to that dead end hallway there?'  
'Why?' Quatre said confused, but Duo felt him move towards the area.  
Empty of people, it was easy enough to squeeze out from the crowd into the space.  
'Okay, let's go to the restroom there-'  
'That's the girls-'  
'Get in!'  
'Fuck no-'  
Duo was dragged in, followed by a red faced Quatre.  
'Hirde! What in blazes-'  
'Quatre- hold him for a moment there- I'm breaking open this window. We're near the ground level now, and this stall's actually on the barracks side. The top of this is just behind the doghouse. There's not much of a drop either- here is halfway below ground level. It's snowed a bit outside, so let me dig a bit. Okay, there. Done. We can get out from here. Duo- I trust you're not too disabled to do this, or are you a retard?'  
Hirde didn't wait for Duo to answer. With a few tugs then a jerk of the window, Hirde was outside, lifting her body lithely out of the small space. A hand stuck out from the window afterwards.  
'What are you waiting for? It's freezing outside, so hurry up!'  
'Maybe we should get our coats,' said Quatre hesitantly.  
'Quatre- half the Academy is waiting in line for that- we don't have time!'  
'You have a point. Duo- move.'  
'I'm trying- holy shit- it's freezing! The wind's making my balls drop off from frostbite!'  
'You don't need them- move aside Duo. Quatre, do you need help?'  
'No, I can get up there on my own.'  
'Lock the stall and close the window after you. I'll fix the window properly later.'  
'How the hell did you know about this escape hatch, anyhow?'  
'...got locked in there one night by an old roommate.'  
'Shit prank.'  
'Wasn't a prank really. She was just... scared.'  
'Scare of what?'  
'... you know. Them rumours. Just didn't want to sleep in the same room as me when she first got assigned as my dorm mate so she thought if I never made it back there at nights, she'd be safe from the curs... never mind. Anyway, at first I was pissed, because the damn bitch really locked me out for a good month- but then, yeah, we got to know each other. Ended up volunteering to spend the nights and stuff at the mail room for the semester, so she stopped. We became friends.'  
'Whoa, she still sounds like a bitch to me.'  
'She wasn't- just very superstitious and all. Religious too. She prayed a lot. I've no doubt she's an angel, now, with the amount of time she spent talking to God,' Hirde laughed lightly. There was a slight edge to her voice. 'Quatre- got Duo's support? Good- let's go!'  
'....'  
Duo looked sideways to Quatre. The blond's eyes were dark with sympathy.  
Leave it be, he mouthed silently.  
Duo looked down at Hirde as the shivering girl as she took his arm and help support his weight. Gently, he squeezed her with a half embrace. The girl leant very briefly into him, before straightening.  
'Okay... let's move, move, move already!' Hirde muttered as they hurried made their way across the field.  
'Got it,' Duo replied.  
'Damn, it's so cold, my tits are dropping off!' Hirde hissed as a strong wind slapped them in the face.  
Duo pulled a jokers mask over his face as he leant over to the small girl.  
'Hirde, that's impossible- you have no tits.'  
Hirde's elbow jabbed Duo in his already sore ribs. With that painful action, they were back again to pretending all was right with the world they lived in.

TBC.


	29. Chapter 29

Despite being fitted out to accommodate twenty-four people, the most of the seats in the medium sized room was empty. There were two rows of three white seats that stretched out from each four sides of a white square table placed in the centre of the room. The fluorescent glow of lights came not from overhead lights, but arose from strips of light originating from the bottom half of the furniture itself, as well as the round lights dotted at the corner edges. As a substitute for a lack of real decoration in the pure white room, the middle of the room was dimmed enough for the faint outline of flowers and leaves twirling and falling wildly to be seen in the hologram hovering above the table. The movement seemed random, but Heero noticed that there was a pattern to it. He studied the movement intently, trying to distinguish the complex pattern. Trowa wasn't interested in the mock image at all. The other boy was lounging in his seat, his legs half crossed, and his usually one visible eye closed in a semblance of bored sleep. He had been like that ever since the attendant had left them, along with two other human females, in the room alone.  
'So Heero, and erm.... it's Trowa, isn't it...?'  
Trowa opened a sleepy, green eye and nodded.  
Relena smiled brightly.  
'How are you two finding the Academy? It's been nearly three weeks now that you've been here, I believe? I trust you are getting use to the campus life and all.'  
Heero grunted, not interested in talking. Staring off into the luminous holo-space separating him and the girl was far more interesting. He was close to calculating the formula the creators used to generate the random-like display. After a few more turns of the artificial presentation, he was sure he would have it. Unfortunately, two pairs of very intense blue eyes were staring at him from across the other side of the hologram, as if they were expecting some sort of response. The Nile blue pair of the speaker was wide open and sparkling with some sort of excitement, but it wasn't Relena's look which made him suddenly uncomfortable in his seat- or at least, not to the extent the platinum blonde girl's expectant look did.  
He couldn't figure out why. There was something about the blonde girl that made him extremely uneasily, as if some sense within him was screaming out to move away from her, but he was frozen by an injection of paralysis drug. Or as if he was mentally hypnotised by danger. But that was ridiculous. He was not afraid of any human.  
Maybe... maybe it was just the dark, forked eyebrows of the girl that made him uncomfortable? The subjects of his thoughts shot upwards as Dorothy suddenly half-frowned.  
Heero felt Trowa's elbow nudged his ribs. Or rather, jabbed.  
'Respond', came a soft hiss.  
The force was none too light, but it served its purpose. Heero blinked as his mind cleared.  
'Hn....'  
A slight frown appeared on Heero's forehead as he searched his memory.  
'We've adjusted,' he growled out, after finally remembering the question.  
'Oh that's great,' came a sugary tone. The frown on Dorothy's face disappeared as an artificial smile widened her lips, and an angelic mask appeared on her face. However, it was with icy blue grey eyes and a mocking twinkle that Dorothy looked at Heero. 'You and Trowa seem to know each other for quite some time,' Dorothy purred. 'How long? Where did you meet?'  
'We were classmates before,' said Trowa smoothly.  
'Oh really? Where? I heard you came from Space? Which Colony?'  
Heero stiffened at the questioning. It was like Dorothy was implying she knew something. Rather then mildly self-satisfied now, the girl now looked downright smug. What did the blonde girl know? Did she know something? Impossible. The falsified records he planted in the intra system, and elsewhere, was quite detailed. He had great practice with manipulating the databanks humans kept to monitor their society. No one could know they had entered on false identities.  
If Dorothy did, he would kill and eat her. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Dorothy.  
'Well?' Dorothy asked pointedly, meeting Heero's glare without even a fluttering blink.  
'Yes, where did you two come from?'  
He didn't know why, but Heero felt... distinctly trapped, as if he had been cornered by words alone. Yet the girls had made no move towards using any of the weapons they had strapped on their bodies. Relena's sword was still sheathed, as with Dorothy's coiled whip and daggers.  
'....'  
Click.  
The sound of a door opening, even behind him, alerted Heero. Along with the metallic sound, an odd smell- similar to that of Trowa in his other form when it rained- drifted through the air. It wasn't quite the scent wet fox fur gave off, but it was quite close. Heero's nose twitched and he wrinkled it. He turned from Dorothy, partially in an unconscious attempt for avoidance, but mostly in a move kicked in by an instinct to guard from unknown dangers. Trowa was doing the same. His nostrils were twitching furiously, and there was an uncommon gleam of extreme interest in his expression as the other youth looked as well towards the stream of hallway light slipping in the dim room from the entrance.  
'...in this way please.'  
Three silhouettes slipped in the doorway, as ushered in by a uniform Hunstmen attendant whom then stepped back.  
'The Leader will be with you shortly. Please be patient.'  
The door was then shut, leaving the new arrivals at the top of the mini-auditorium staircase.  
'Great one, Hirde. Because of that short-cut route you picked- we're soaking wet, and we stink of dog!'  
'Hey, at least we're early. Anyway, it's not my fault the puppies at the doghouse we crossed took after you.'  
'Puppies? Those Dobermans were bigger than me!'  
'They liked Quatre.'  
'I thought they were cute.'  
'They were ugly!'  
'But they smiled at you, Duo. I'm certain they liked you too.'  
'That wasn't a smile- that was a symptom of the rabies those mutts had- muscle spasms. Quatre, you need glasses. Ouch!'  
Heero turned his torso away from the table to fully watch the long hair limp down the stairway towards them. Duo must have sensed his gaze as the long hair boy met his stare with a glare of his own.  
What the hell are you looking at? Heero read the quick snarling movement on Duo's lips. The boy flipped his middle finger up and kissed it in an odd gesture at Heero.  
Heero met the confusing action with an upward tilt of his chin. He continued on staring at Duo as the boy had not looked away.  
Duo paused halfway down the stairs.  
Heero frowned at the sudden stop, wondering at the cause.  
Duo scowled back.  
'Well... is your leg okay? You ran pretty fast when we met them.'  
'Like the friggin' wind,' giggled Hirde. 'Do you have Indian blood?'  
'Shut up, Hirde,' Duo muttered. His bright blue eyes kept their focus on Heero's. Heero felt something similar to discomfort pass through his body at it.  
'Duo? How is your leg, really?'  
'My leg feels just fine....' the long hair boy growled out.  
Duo's blue eyes got stormier and more violent as he continued on glaring at Heero. Duo's Cobalt blue iris was a near violet now. Why was the human looking at him like that? He looked like he was about to attack. Hn. He looked down his nose as he studied Duo. What the reason for the human's action, it was good to have clear signals coming from a human. In a split second, he judged that whatever danger the females posed was not likely to be immediate and physical like the one Duo presented. He could be assured the person before him was definitely planning to kill him.  
'Great. Nice to hear that. So move along now, jeez.'  
'Name's Duo, not Jeez. Hirde- do you have Alzheimer's? Shit- don't push me- whoah!'  
Their eye contact was broken as Duo tripped forward. Heero almost experienced a sense of petty satisfaction at it before he observed the quickness of Quatre's action to prevent Duo from falling.  
'Don't worry, Duo. I have you.'  
Quatre was incredibly quick- faster than a human blink. Heero found himself instead disgruntled as he wondered how the small boy could move so fast? The blond grasped Duo and held him up.  
'Strange, I thought they'd be more people. I saw a lot of people with the same tickets as ours.' Quatre looked at the sitting group. 'Why are there only seven of us here?'  
'We've been invited to a special session with the Leader, it seems,' Trowa responded.  
He rose a hand to indicate for the three to take the adjacent seats between Dorothy and Heero. Relena smiled as they did, then nodded to Hirde, who was closest to her.  
'Here, you may want to use this,' she leant past Dorothy and handed Hirde a perfectly folded handkerchief and a tiny perfume bottle with the word 'Sanq' written on it.  
Heero noticed a tiny frown appear between Hirde's brow as she looked down at the offerings.  
'Thank you,' the girl said stiffly, and took the handkerchief but not the bottle. With a less than dainty action, she then processed to wipe her face and neck vigorously, then turned to the two other boys in the same row. Quatre, in the middle, had his own handkerchief out and was using it to wipe non-existent sweat from his brow. Duo, closest to Heero, didn't bother with cleaning up his appearance and adjusting his crinkled clothes like the other two were. He seemed comfortable enough with himself as he leant over to fiddle with the controls on the side of the table.  
He noticed there were scatterings of snow, now turning to water, on their uniform. It looked as if they had trudged through the outside without their winter coats, with only their formal school uniform jackets on. That didn't make logical sense, though. As far as he was aware, humans, as well all other normal warm-bloodied creatures, were sensitive to the cold weather. Even Trowa was, with his specially mixed heritage. Only Parasites weren't. Unless all the regeneration cells were frozen solid, a normal Parasite could discard whatever pieces of flesh had been frozen black by the coldest of weather, and still be able to survive to re-create itself. Heat was a different matter, though, since it changed the very chemistry makeup of the body. But there was no questioning the facts, there was a noticeable dampness on all three of the new arrivals.  
As Duo shifted, a strong whiff of canine waffled from his damp clothing. The strongest smell, however, came from the blond boy beside him. Trowa, he could sense, was barely restraining himself in his seat. The other youth always had a fascination for sniffing out odd places to note the passage of other canine breeds in the area, and was all focused on attempting to discretely sense things out from his position beside Heero. Although, Heero noted, Trowa was all but practically quivering in his eagerness to do so. Quatre, being the one of the three who seemed to have been in the thick of whatever pack of dogs encountered, was being intensely investigated by Trowa. Quatre seemed to sense Trowa's interest, and looked up. A faint blush covered his cheeks as he caught at Trowa's intense expression, then the blond quickly averted his eyes to Heero. He smiled, his cheeks curving up in a friendly look.  
It almost looked nervous.  
'Sorry... we met some friendly dogs.'  
'Oh really? How many? I'd say... twenty?'  
Quatre looked in surprise at Trowa.  
'I'm not sure, but yes, I'd say about that many.'  
Trowa looked at Quatre and cocked his head.  
'They must have liked you. Their scent is all over you.'  
At first Quatre gave Trowa's bland face a quick studying look, but then the blond smiled broadly.  
'They were quite energetic, yes, but I love animals. Canines especially.'  
'...oh. Really?'  
A strange, odd expression passed through Trowa's face.  
'How about foxes?' the normally silent youth blurted out. Then a tinge of unfamiliar red flushed up Trowa's neck.  
Heero frowned as he saw the reaction. Was Trowa was getting sick?  
Flowing curses and expletives arose from Duo.  
'Oh shit- I think I broke the holo-vid There's nothing but dots now.... damn- I can't fix it.'  
'No way-' Hirde hissed. 'Duo, fix it! Change the channel back before the Leader comes! Of all times to screw around- Duo, I'm going to kill you.'  
'Yeah, yeah- I know and I am trying to find it, but there's nothing but snowlight haze.'  
Heero looked at the dancing display. Instead of flowers, sparkles of dots were floating above the table.  
It looked familiar.  
'It's not snowlight haze. It's a map,' Heero observed. He pointed to a massive ball. 'That's Earth- that's L1.'  
'Your home Colony?' asked Dorothy archly.  
Heero grunted.  
Duo looked at Heero, then looked back at the hologram.  
'...shit, you're right. There's L2 right there... L3, L4 and L5. But what's with those flickering yellow dots? And these random red dots?'  
Heero shrugged. How would he know? It was then he sensed another presence in the room. His skin prickled. How did the person slip in the room without him being aware of it? He was sensitive to all noises. Even the slightest click from the entrance door would have alerted him. Possible a secret passage way? No matter. In any case, the old man from the Parasite fight was in the room with them. He didn't sense any danger from the person, so Heero relaxed. But only a little. He didn't feel comfortable with any human who deliberately hiding from view.  
It made him wonder how long the person had been there.  
He waited.  
'I don't know Duo.... But it's like I've seen a display pattern like this before. Like, when Noin showed us once in mapping class... or was it history class...?'  
'Hit pause, Duo.'  
'I don't know-'  
A fist slammed into the side of the table.  
The hologram image froze.  
'It's history alright,' Quatre said quietly. 'It's a history of all our major losses against the Parasites.'  
He reached out and attempted to touch a small flickering ball in the L4 Colony cluster.  
'I remember this Colony. It was one of the mining Colonies we financed through the family business. The population was small, just Village Colony of a few thousand.'  
Quatre's fingers passed through the tiny, circular holo-globe. Quatre looked down at his empty hand then clenched it.  
'We don't have that Colony on L4 maps anymore since the Parasites ate everyone on site.'  
He reached out and touched another small globe with the tip of his knuckle. Again, his hand passed through the ghostly lighted Colony.  
'This is another,' he said softly. 'It's a bit too recent to be 'history' yet, Hirde.'  
A small, delicate hand curved around Quatre's fist, and brought it down to where the image of Earth rotated.  
'I know how you feel, Quatre,' Relena said softly, 'but you mustn't let hatred consume your life.'  
She brought Quatre's hand over on top of Europe.  
'This was Sanq. The Wars and the Outbreaks, as you know, exerted a greater toll on Sanq then on any other country in Europe.'  
Relena smiled.  
'And this is still Sanq. Less than a few hundred of our people still live, but live they do. Have hope in humanity, and keep your humanity, because that's what you're fighting for.'  
Quatre sighed.  
'Thanks Relena. I understand what you mean.'  
Relena let go of Quatre's hand, but not after giving his hand a squeeze.  
'It's the goodness in humanity is what differs us from animals and other monstrous beasts,' Relena said with a smile. She turned to Heero and Trowa. 'Isn't it?'  
'...whether other beings care about your sense of goodness is a different matter altogether,' Trowa said blandly. 'Animals do not have a sense of wrong or right, only what is natural.'  
'What is unnatural is wrong, and therefore must be destroyed,' Quatre said seriously. 'Even animals have a sense of Allah, and that's what makes them natural. A beast untouched in creation and thought by the hand of Allah is merely a monster that must be killed.'  
Heero noticed Trowa turned pale at the heated words from the shorter blond. The change in Trowa's pallor made Heero concerned. Heero tapped Trowa's arm. The other's lashes flickered down briefly, then looked towards him. Trowa nodded at Heero. Heero was relieved to see the bland mask of indifference back on his partner's face.  
'I see,' Trowa said neutrally. 'What about the unreligious?'  
Quatre was taken aback.  
'Well... I....' Quatre frowned. 'I don't believe you can be unreligious.'  
'I'm not religious,' Heero bluntly said.  
Quatre frowned.  
'Then what do you follow as a guide?' he asked, puzzled and clearly disbelieving Heero's statement.  
'Follow your emotions, is what I do,' came a strong, cheery voice.  
Heero very nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand came down and slapped him hard on his shoulder. He had known the old man was in the room- but he hadn't sense the man coming!  
'But I must say, I do worship rock and roll. 'Specially the music from the Pre-Colonial days. Ah, good stuff- they don't make music the way they use to. Wanted to grow my hair long as a kid, and bring back proper rock.'  
'Leader!' Quatre and Relena straightened immediately from their standing position, with Dorothy and Hirde soon following- both arising from their seats. Trowa imitated their movement as the tall, older man came down towards them from the entrance, taking the same path the previous three had. Duo was the last one to rise up. Or actually, Heero was, but he couldn't rise up since Odin's hand was actually keeping him down in his seat. The man was surprising strong, he noticed with an irked glared. Unless he was to use his full, inhuman power, there was now way he could break the hold.  
'Please, do sit.'  
'I am,' Heero sat tightly.  
'I meant everyone else, kid.' Odin patted Heero's head, mussing up his locks.  
'Yes sir!' said the standing students in unison before the group sat down again, stiff in their politeness.  
The chorus was followed by a faint utterance of a pained, muffled swearword from Duo as he sat down again with the others.  
Somehow, the small sound of discomfort from Duo made Heero feel better as he endured allowing himself to be vulnerable to the dangerous action of having his hair messed up. He glared up at Odin. He didn't understand this human. The man made him uneasy.  
Odin grinned back and winked.  
Why did he get the feeling the old man could understand him?  
It wasn't possible. After all, the man was human.  
And he was not.

TBC.


	30. Chapter 30

'As you know, due to the war, there has been a change in the Huntsmen system of recruitment, and we are now recruiting direct from campuses. You've been selected out from the Hunstmen Academy's student body because you were deemed to be the most exceptional examples of talent. We'd like you all to be the leading representatives of the New Pack to the world,' Odin explained, 'if you chose to accept such the role, that is.'  
'Hey wait here,' Duo frowned. 'Are you wanting taking heads? If so, I'm no media pony. I'm a fighter.'  
'Duo,' came Quatre's cautioning voice. The blond placed a hand on Duo's shoulder. 'Sorry Leader, allow me to restate what Duo meant. Although we're honoured to have been considered and granted such an opportunity, we're not sure exactly what the role entitles...?'  
'Actually,' Odin moved and took seat on the unoccupied side, 'being a representative on the New Pack's leading team will be a role more dangerous than taking on a normal Huntsmen's job.'  
Duo's expression visually perked up at the statement. The boy was indeed a maniac, Odin though as he concealed a half grin and continued.  
'Fighters are what we need, which why you seven were selected- you have shown yourself to have the ability needed. Since the role will in effect, place you at the frontlines of the Parasite war, we can't guarantee your safety or,' Odin hesitated, then cautiously admitted, 'that of your family or anyone close to you.'  
If the youths took on being the public faces of the New Pack, they were literally going to be the targets of the Parasites upon the public broadcasting of that information. That was what he intended- to draw out the bastards and track the movements of the invisible head through dangling Winner, Peacecraft and Scheiberker in front of them. To some extent, it was a possibility that Maxwell may serve as bait as well, but from what he observed, it was unlikely. The majority of the unusual trend of attacks had concentrated on power brokers in the human society. Upon examining the records, it was like it had been the late Father Maxwell who had been the real target. He had been a strong, religious powerhouse, but not a well known one. It was unknown except to very few that the poverty stricken father had religious connections up to the level of the pope. The sheer goodness of the man had earned him shining recognition in the bowels of bloated and ancient network of church institutions. The younger Maxwell had merely been one of the orphans who had been caught up in the Maxwell massacre. And the only one to survive. It was a very dangerous, and perhaps, he privately admitted, cold game he was playing by involving the young people before him into the net he was weaving to trap whatever the power that was controlling the Parasites out there, but, with the current stakes, he had no choice. But he hoped to hedge the danger by the inclusion of the other skilful youths into the group. Everybody would count, he knew, once the Parasite caught scent of their 'prey'.  
'Other than this, I can't say more about the role unless you accept the role,' he finished solemnly.  
Heero looked at Trowa. Trowa looked sideways back at Heero. Both nodded at each other, then Trowa turned towards Odin.  
Odin looked at the two youths in expectation of their acceptance.  
'Thank you for the offer, but we're afraid we must refuse. Please excuse us.'  
Trowa gave a small bow of his head, with Heero mimicking it after him, before they stood and made to leave. Both ignored the surprised looks from their classmates. Odin had to remember to close his jaw and school back his expression.  
'Trowa! Heero!' came Quatre's shocked voice. 'Where do you think you're going?'  
'Oh leave them be, Quatre. We don't need them anyway. They're just a pair of cowards, anyway. Let them slink off with their tail between their legs.' In contrast to all the shocked silence of others sitting, around, Duo laughed instead. He then started to make yipping sounds, imitating that of the scared dog.  
Trowa stiffened.  
Heero frowned and pushed at the taller boy before him to move up the steps. Instead the tall boy turned to glare at Duo. Duo caught the look, but smirked back. He raised one hand in a mock paw pose, and gave a puppy-like yip again. He then pawed at the air.  
'I can take you on, easily,' Trowa growled.  
Duo crossed his eyes and resumed pawing at the air.  
'Ooh, so scary. Sure, you can try to take on a one poor human like, oh, little ol' me,' he said sarcastically, 'but for somebody too scared to take on a few dozen or so Parasites, he'd surely lose' Duo drawled. He gave three yips at the end of his sentence for emphasis before the long hair rolled his eyes up and then straightened with a bored expression. 'Now get lost, and let the real men,' Duo then glanced at the girls before him, 'sorry- men and women, take over. We'll take the job, so don't worry, and piss off! Ciao!' Duo grinned at his two standing classmates, then flipped back his hair. He turned to Quatre, clearly dismissing the glaring Trowa. 'Sorry Quat' bud, I really couldn't resist. I knew they weren't real fighters, but wimps.'  
Odin coughed.  
'Actually, Maxwell, they do have the right to refuse. As you do. I am not exaggerating the dangers here. If you do accept, it is not just personal danger you will face, but there danger to everyone around you. He may have family considerations-'  
'I don't.'  
Odin blinked. The youth had reappeared in his seat, his legs and arms folded across his body in anger as he glared out with one visible green eye at Duo. Duo curled back his lips, and rolled back his eyes at Trowa. He raised both his legs on to the chair and sitting on his hutches, resumed his fake puppy pose with both his hands up in paw imitations, sitting on the seat like a dog. The sight was comical as Duo really did manage to imitate a dog well. Odin would have almost laughed, if it weren't for the occasion being so inappropriate and not fitting of his position. Or rather, since he'd never been the type for formalities anyway in his advanced age, it was actually the killing chill that settled around the other youth being mocked which stopped him from laughing. The aura radiating from the silent youth actually managed to raise goose bumps on his body.  
'Yip, yip, so now the wimpy whippet barks, but does he really have any teeth? I don't think so. The guy's nothing but a toothless-'  
'I do have teeth. Sharp ones.' A flash of a blur snapped out from below Trowa's knee, aimed right at the exposed area between Duo's open thighs. 'And I also have long legs,' the young sandy hair boy finished with a neutral tone. 'Remember that.' Trowa's foot connected with the soft vulnerable area of Duo's groin.  
Duo went ashen. He clutched at his groin and fell off his seat in utter silence. Only the thud of his body on the floor below the table was heard as the long hair boy rolled up in silent agony. Quatre bit his lip, the young boy clearly torn on making a decision to attack Trowa back for his friend since he was uncertain whether if Duo really deserved the hit.  
A high pitched, girly laughter filled the air. Odin winced at the sound.  
'Well, now, dear Leader, it seems we have all accepted to join the New Pack... right?'  
Relena, Hirde, and Quatre nodded absently, the three still staring down at Duo.  
Dorothy smiled at Odin, then looked sideways with a flicker of her cool grey eyes.  
'Unless, Heero, you're still going to be the sole odd one out?'  
The messy brown hair youth was still standing near the stairway, his expression a mixture of a thunderous scowl, and oddly enough, was that concern and puzzlement Odin could see in the look the boy shot at Trowa.  
'I... will accompany Trowa.'  
He sounded a little lost.  
Feeling oddly fatherly, for some reason the boy seem to inspire that strange feeling in him- maybe he did need to get a wife if he didn't get killed- Odin patted the seat beside him.  
'Thank you.'  
The brown hair boy shot him a wary look, and ignored the invitation. Instead, he said down next to Trowa in his previous spot again. Odin shrugged off the snub. Damn, the boy reminded of how he was like when he was young. Except, of course, he probably had a bigger attitude problem. But then again, he had been the youngest recruit in the Huntsmen, so had to deal with a lot of the even bigger attitudes of the older Huntsmen who hadn't respected his street honed skills until he proven himself. Odin waited for a few minutes before a shaking hand finally came into view. The pale hand clutched at the table, then Duo raised himself off the ground, using the table as support. With a deadly glare at the now quietly satisfied Trowa, Duo cautiously sat back in his seat. There was a deep, red embossed blush on his cheeks, but diplomatically, everyone pointedly ignored Duo and stared in expectation at Odin to continue. Heero gave Duo a look over before doing the same. Odin obliged his audience by speaking.  
'I'm extremely grateful for all of your acceptances,' he bowed his head before the group. 'To make it official, I am afraid I must ask you to read through the contract,' he reached over and pulled up the digital hologram display of a large screen full of text, 'and sign it with your biometrics if you agree. The biometrics scanner can be found on the right side of your seats. If you have any questions, or need clarification of anything in the contract, please ask me. If you should need time, please note that even after signing, you have a full fortnight to withdraw you acceptance. However, whatever information shared during the period of the contract, regardless of the nature of the information, must remain permanently confidential, without exception, even if you chose to withdraw. As you know, unlike the general population, you are considered an adult regarding legal contractual agreements and have the right to make your own decisions since you are Huntsmen Academy students. As applicable to all those who are accepted into Huntsmen Academy and also other training academies, in law, you bear the full responsibility for your decisions and actions if you violate the contract. Please remember this, and read the contract carefully.'  
Beep.  
'Quatre- you've finished reading this mess of words already?' Hirde whispered incredulously. Odin's ears caught the soft question.  
'Yes. It's quite a fair and generous contract, actually,' Quatre said. 'I don't see anything wrong with it. The pay terms are very good. It outlines very clearly that we may be maimed, or killed in the line of work, but there's full, lifetime insurance on all injuries, and also coverage in the case any death- whether be it'll be our own, or other people, plus there's additional benefits such as paid daily expenses etcetera. I'm surprised by it, actually. I didn't realise the Huntsmen can afford to award that much.'  
'Actually, the contract terms are more generous than the norm,' Odin stated. 'You've gotten a better deal then even myself because you all will be in a truly special situation, and we really do need you for the sake of humanity.'  
A barely audible snort came from Heero, but Odin chose to ignore it.  
Beep. Beep. Beep.  
Beep.  
There was a pause.  
Beep. Beep. Trowa had been second last. Heero had been the last.  
Odin didn't know why the two boys were so reluctant- it was odd, considering their Intra files had indicated they were training to become Hunstmen because their parents died from Parasite attacks. He had thought the two would be as enthusiastic as Maxwell to become Huntsmen- well, New Pack members, earlier on. Nevertheless, all had signed. The tension he hadn't known that was resting on his shoulders drifted away.  
It was time to get down to business and explain to the group about the new knowledge they had about Parasites. However, he wasn't going to explain everything. Only the information that the Parasites seemed to operate at times on instruction would be conveyed. All the other information was on a need to know basis. After all, if they knew they were bait, he doubt the group before him would appreciate it much. Only the leader of the New Pack would know, but the spy kid 'Fei was somewhere in space with Sally.

TBC.


	31. Chapter 31

'Woman!'  
'Yes, Wufei?' Sally inquired. Her voice was muffled as she was breathing through a plastic mask.  
'Hurry up,' Wufei barked tensely.  
Sally hmmed lightly and pulled out a long rectangular box. It was visibly packed with complex circuitry, but a deep, crisscross pattern on the surface sides showed the aftermath of an axe, and the wires on the box were melted from burning. However, it was the central square cube within the box that she was concerned with examining. Although the metal square had deep nicks, it was uncracked. Therefore, the liquid data panel chip inside it was possibly still readable, if the fluid had not been exposed to air. Although Sally wasn't sure if the fluid inside had the chemical structure alternated by intense heat, but unlike many of the other cubes she inspected, the panel chip wasn't completely blacked and twisted out of shape. It had hope for recovery. She added the rectangular box to the small stacked pile in the open bag beside her. The cube was too hard to extract onsite from the outer box.  
'I'm need more time- I'm onto something here...'  
'We don't have leeway. You need to get out of there. We've been spotted. The radar's showing a number of them are waking up to our presence now. They're forming up in unusual clusters... and you know what that means.'  
She grunted as she ducked herself deeper into the hollowed out desk panel and searched quickly for another box.  
'Can you give me two minutes?'  
That one was broken. The cube in it was cleanly halved in two. The other one... no.  
'We can't even give you one.'  
That one was cracked. The silver stains on the blackened wires showed where the fluid had dripped. Only one last tray level to check....  
'Give me forty five seconds.'  
The back one was destroyed but the other one... Maybe.... There. The second last one from the right had an undamaged box. She was done. No more left. The panel desk nearest to the exit was the only one in a reasonable state which Sally had bothered to inspect. The blackened walls of the other areas further away indicated an intense heat consumed and destroyed the other machinery and computers beyond. However, the scorch marks on the floor did mere metres away from a heap of years old flesh turned into liquid goo oozing over bones. The gleaming slime was interspaced by still growing locks of hair and fingernails jutting out from the pile. It was a mass grave that had been conserved by the dead air in the room, and which the murderers had not paid as much attention to disposal of than the data content within the room. Luckily enough, they had not been too perfect in their job here than they had been elsewhere on the destroyed research centre. The initial sweeps and following sweeps over the years had turned up absolutely no information from the sites they had found. All the liquid memory cubes found had been damaged.  
'Thirty- and hurry woman!'  
That was, all cubes found up to now. They had hit the jackpot with the hidden room, Sally thought happily as she removed the box, wiggled out, then dropped it in the bag. With a deft flick of her fingers, she zipped up the heavy duty backpack and ran. Sally kicked an odd metal claw device that got in her way as she moved towards the stairways and ran upwards. It skittered away and landed with a squish into the goo of dead, rotten humans. Sally flinched as the disturbed pile let out a bubble of gas. The poorly fitted, borrowed defiltrater mask she had on did not block out entirely the stench of dead, piled up rotten bodies that were years old. The thick stench followed her upwards and she could taste gone-off meat on her taste buds through inhaling it. It was disgusting. Sally wished she had a proper mask. But it wasn't like they had been prepared to find the hidden basement in their search. Having the wall open on them had been a surprise. Wufei had sworn a black streak of Chinese words since he had been the one to find it- by unexpected fall into space after activating a wall pressure point. He had been checking his buster rifle's energy levels at a brief rest point, and the shifting of the wall took him entirely by surprise. Since the resulting, exposed passageway down was small, having been partially blocked by a lot of debris, out of the visiting group, only two were small enough to fit into the space to descend the stairway and investigate. And it was fortunate again that one of the larger guys had a defiltrater mask at all. Without it, she would have been killed by the not just odorous stench, but have died from inhaling the gases within the basement that had accumulated from the decomposition of the dead. There was no ventilation in the broken laboratory. A match struck in the room could have created an explosion with the amount of methane in the air. There was oxygen in the air too, but not much of it for a lot of activity. Sally's lungs strained as she hurriedly ran up the stairways to reach the group. Upon manoeuvring her way awkwardly in the last two metres- she had to duck and half crawl her way through at the end, and drag the bag behind her- Sally finally was able to remove the too-large mask when she joined Wufei and twenty other bigger, muscular men. Most of the group were in Huntsmen uniform, but a third were in Preventers. All were armed to the teeth. None greeted her as they start running towards the concealed landing site as fast as their legs could carry them. It wasn't blind fear that made them run. It was experience and practical sense. Heavily armed or not, the destroyed research was chock filled with Parasites to the extent it was impossible to eliminate the Parasites without destroying the whole colony structure. The years of isolation from food sources had weakened the existing Parasites but also honed Parasites starving desire for human flesh. Although low in intelligence, the Parasites on the base apparently recognised any landing of spaceships as arrival of food. Individually, the Parasites would be begin hunting, which would have not been a insurmountable problem if it weren't for an unseen force that suddenly gathered and propelled the Parasites to group and hunt the landing party in a chillingly, disciplined way.  
The initial landing parties sent to clear the site so that the Preventers and Huntsmen could investigate the research facilities properly had encountered too many losses. Wufei, and a few of the L5 colonists, had transported troops of soldiers over to the research base, but it was quickly realised that attempts to clear the site were futile. There were just too many Parasites swarming the research colony. Data gathering efforts were immediately switched to quick, high risk search and retrieval efforts.  
'In, in, in- fuck- they're coming- close that fucking door!'  
'Holy shit-'  
'Sweet fucking lord-'  
Baam. Baaam. Thud. Parasites slammed against the spaceship.  
'Turn the lasers on. Get that fucker off!'  
'Aim the guns properly, you dickhead'  
'I want to retire.'  
'Suck my cock grand-dada, and fuckin' aim right you drunk.'  
'Ol' alcoholic Grand-dada getting more of them then you.'  
'Lifting-'  
'Fuck- ow!  
'-off now. Can't you shake off that second Parasite sucker?'  
'Buckle up,' Wufei shouted. 'We're going to swivel.'  
'You heard the pilot, boys- and mind you're language, there's a lady present.'  
Sally was about to say something but she lost her train of thought as intense G-forces slammed into her. For an excruciating painful five minutes, her world was spun around and around again. Then suddenly, all gravity was lost and she was floating. Scant seconds later, she thudded back into her seat.  
Somebody began to hurl in the backseat area.  
A snort of disgust came from the pilot's seat.  
'All the Parasites have been flung off and we're in space now,' Wufei stated without looking away from the window. His hands were quickly moving over the controls even as he spoke, the white lines on his metal arm bands gleaming. 'I want my ship clean and tidy of any personal messes by the time we reach base. Whether you have vomited, excreted or urinated your pants is not of concern to me but my ship will be left pristine clean and hygienic even if you have to eat the mess yourself. Otherwise, I will turn and drop you all off back there.'  
Sally sighed from her place beside Wufei. She had taken the co-pilots seat. The men were behind in the passengers' seating.  
'Guys,' she said without looking back, knowing the men there would be glaring at the pilot and was contemplating killing the small Chinese youth, 'there are towels and cleaning items underneath your chair, as well as suction tools. Don't be embarrassed if you... lost a bit of control. It happens pretty much regularly to people on visits there. '  
'Look damnit- my buddies here and I dinna shit or piss our pants- we're soldiers. I only vomited because of that fuckin' L-fiver's fucked up piloting skills.'  
Sally sighed.  
'Well Wufei, you heard the man. I guess you do still drive like a blind grandmother. Can't you do something about that and improve a bit?'  
'I am not a frail, weak old woman!' Wufei snapped. 'I'm the best pilot there is.'  
Laughter sounded from the back.  
'Maybe grand-dada who vomited here might wanna spend some quality time with grand-mama about his complaints?'  
'Fuck you.'  
'Boys, I said, there's a lady here,' a cold voice stated quietly. 'Keep your tongues still in your mouth if you can't wag it politely. My apologies, Sally.'  
'It's okay, Townsend. We do appreciate you and your men for volunteering your service to escort us as, well, we've never managed to get repeat volunteers and not many are brave enough to even offer to go the nest lair.'  
'It was an interesting experience, to say the least. But I can understand the feeling of those not wishing to return. However, if you do need us-'  
'Actually, I don't think another trip will be necessary- if I'm right' Sally said with glee. 'After thirteen damn trips, I think we've finally got what we wanted from there. Thirteen's our damn lucky number.'  
'This was your thirteenth trip!?'  
'No- I lost count how many times I've been over there. It's like, over fifty as I did a lot of... the earlier runs as well,' Sally fell a bit quiet as she remembered how the disastrous the runs were. The ships had gone out with humours bartering but returned with silence. She silently gave a mental nod of respect to the dead and continued on speaking, although her voice was less gleeful. 'Wufei and I were looking for a particular something over the last couple of months, so had to search that dratted area.' She smiled, and turned to remove the bag from her back. Putting it on her lap, Sally then hugged the hard, metal contents inside.  
'What was it? Sorry- if it's classified info, I don't mean to pry.'  
'Hmm... I guess Townsend, since you and your men risked your lives, I should tell you guys something.' Sally's smile grew larger. 'We were looking for Pandora's forgotten boxes.'  
'Huh?' The commander clearly didn't understand Sally. But Sally didn't explain further. Sally cooed as she continued to hug the bag.  
'And if we're lucky,' she whispered softly to herself, 'they'll contain more than just hope.'  
A half grunt, half snort of disgust came from the pilot seat as Wufei briefly glanced at the smiling blonde Huntsmen.  
Daft woman, he thought.

TBC.


	32. Chapter 32

The meeting with the leading representatives of the New Pack was long since over, and had ended with the mostly quiet and tall boy sneezing over the place. An odd occurrence, considering that it was the other three members of the team who had been drenched by melted snow as if they had indulged in a snowball fight before the meeting. It had been hours since he left the auditorium- over eleven hours, in fact, and he still hadn't any sleep. Reactions were coming from all areas of space, and Odin was niftily dodging question after question from various governmental heads without swearing.  
It was with a click that he hanged up from a thirty minute conference with a key group full of important government heads, and finally crossed the last key core group off his urgent list of things to do. With bleary, red eyes, Odin met the half-amused look of his Second. Zechs appeared to look as perfect as he had from early in the morning twenty four hours ago the previous day, without blood-shot eyes curtsey of the whitening eye droplets he had used between each hurried conference meeting, but there was a telling hint of darkness swept under his long eyelashes that belied his false representation of perfect elegance.  
'What?' he growled.  
'You know, initially I wasn't sure of you,' Zechs stated, almost apologetically, 'but I now understand why Une backed you strongly for the position. You do possess a marvellous ability to be able to communicate and covey your point to people of all backgrounds and-'  
'-bullshit on, I suppose,' Odin snorted. 'But not as good as you. I can't stand these blasted politicians. They're like fleas and mosquitoes- so blasted many of them, all irritating and ready to suck your blood.'  
Zechs shook his head.  
'No Odin, I was going to compliment you on your linguistic ability. I myself, speak French and a few other old Earthian languages, but never have I encountered anyone who spoke such a wide variety of tongues as you do. You have a remarkable fluency in languages from around the globe.'  
'Not everyone speaks the common tongue. Especially on Earth. I swear every mother and her dog here is bilingual, trilingual or just plain multilingual.'  
'So you're of Earth origin?'  
Odin shrugged. 'I could be.'  
Zechs gave Odin an inquisitive look.  
'You don't know?'  
'No, actually. I was found as a babe by a group of Huntsmen at a small Earthian space launch port after a Parasite attack during the first plague, but there was no clue as to whether I was an incoming Colony citizen or an outgoing Earth citizen. Guess I'm just a citizen of humanity.' Odin yawned. 'Damn, I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Are you going to stay here for another day?'  
Zechs smiled and shook his head, acknowledging the change in subject. The leader of the Huntsmen was a shifting enigma. At first, Zechs had been repelled by Odin's apparent personality, believing Odin to be a complete uncouth and irritating- not to mention inconceivably irrational- man, but after working with the older man so closely for so long, he realised a great many things about Odin. That he really knew nothing about him at all, and that no one actually did. And Odin preferred it to stay that way. It was a surprising insight that took him more than a short while to arrive to- and often, he would forget, drawn in by the fickle way Odin presented himself. However the surprising glimpses that Odin allowed him made him see the reason why the man owned the position of Huntsmen head- nobody could do what Odin did precisely because the man was unpredictable. Though what motivated the man and his logic often excluded Zechs, the results Odin brought about more than proved that Odin knew exactly what needed to be done- and the strength to carry out it out. His actions were almost as like the brilliance that had been Trieze Khrushrenada- a general in the United Earth Sphere Alliance he'd been acquainted with during the wars before the second plague and could not fully understand but respect.  
'No. I'll rest after I brief Une.'  
'Whatever. I'm not staying. Une was listening online for most of the meetings anyway. The scary lady never sleeps, I swear. You're on your own for the briefing- I don't see any point to recapping stuff she knows already. I'm going back to my quarters.'  
Odin pushed himself away from the metal desk he and Zechs had been stuck at overnight.  
'I'll be up later tonight. By then Sally and co should have finished their tour and back on base. Tell Une to have her call me back on the private comm lines when she does. It doesn't matter if I'm sleeping.'  
'Sally will be fine,' Zechs said quietly. 'She's been on those rounds multiple times. You shouldn't worry.'  
Odin stiffened. Then sighed.  
'Yeah, I know. But sometimes... you need confirmation.'  
'I see.'  
'Do you?'  
'I think so. Am I wrong?'  
'Perhaps,' Odin answered cryptically. 'I'm an old man, Zechs. Not young like you. Us old timers aren't as simple.'  
'That,' Zechs paused then continued, 'is something that I'm well aware of.'  
Odin stood up with a grunt and walked past Zechs, his steps a bit unsteady due to tiredness.  
Zechs caught a slight whiff of a fragrance as Odin passed close to him. A look of approval came on his face.  
'Why Odin, I don't know what cologne you're using, but it sure smells nice.'  
Odin remembered that he had sprayed on Zechs' "Sanq" cologne before the evening meeting yesterday with the leading New Pack members.  
'Er... thanks. I think.'  
He gave a short bark of laugher before he shook his head.  
'I swear Zechs, if you weren't so into your hot chicklet Lieutenant, I'd think you're gay.'  
'What!? I was merely complimenting you. I was not- making overtures of intent!'  
Odin laughed again as he ducked out the inter-video conference room's door.  
'No, it was because you were complimenting yourself that led me to think that.'  
Odin left behind a puzzled Zechs, who then gave a mental shrug and turned back to the inter-space communication equipment to wind up his final meeting for the early morning. Thankfully, he knew Une was a punctual woman, and would be online within the five minutes as schedules. The daily Huntsmen to Preventer head briefing would be fifteen minutes exactly and in about seventeen minutes, he was going to sleep. Unlike Odin, he wasn't going to return to his sleeping quarters. He planned to sleep right on the meeting table. A soldier, after all, could sleep anywhere. And after a hard day and night's battle, he would take his rest any place he could get.  
Zechs didn't hear the knock that came a few hesitant minutes later.  
Noin opened the door and her eyes softened at the sight that greeted her. She turned to the flickering image of Une as it appeared on the prompt change of the room clock's digital hours to zero five fifteen AM. Noin tapped her lips. The other stern but tired looking uniform lady nodded in understanding. The hologram disappeared without saying a word. Noin quietly turned off the communication devices so that the hum from the fans died down and removed the empty water glasses from the table to place on a side cabinet. She then shrugged off her jacket and placed it around Zech's broad shoulders. The smaller width of the material made a poor blanket in size, but it was thick. Noin silently left the room, locking it behind her to give Zechs privacy.  
Hopefully late and not early in the day, she'd be seeing Zechs. In the mean time, she had a class to prepare for.  
It was something she was not looking forward to. The trainees would be near to uncontrollable because of the previous day. They would be wild and restless- ready for action they were now legally able and encouraged to take on. And it was hard to face them as she knew that a great many of them would be killed in the line of action they were facing with naive enthusiasm.

TBC.


	33. Chapter 33

'So.... how is the work coming along?' Sally asked hopeful as she walked into a room literally swarming with hanging wires and odd computer devices peering from various angles.  
Wufei followed her inside, his nose still half buried in some file handed to him by Townsend just before he and his motley crew of mixed Preventers and Huntsmen left on a different project that morning. Wufei focused on the report. He was catching up with the most recent stats compiled from the two organisations regarding the state of the war. It looked like a whole cluster of L2 colonies were gone. There clusters were minor colonies within L2 and there was a debate whether they were worth saving. The cluster was mostly known for its slums than any real economy. The decision about whether the humans in the L2 slums should be save or not appeared to be a hot topic in the Colonies. The census was leaning against negative action. The few remain hundreds trapped on in the L2 clusters were likely to be conveniently forgotten by the L2 local government in favour of devoting resources to battle the Parasites within its main clusters where the majority of its economy and wealthier residents were.  
Wufei curled his lips in disgust and ceased reading the carefully worded report.  
Sally came to a halt in the room, with Wufei stopping behind her.  
A lone technician had turned around from the bench he was working at upon their entrance. A brief expression of surprise then nervous resignation passed his face as he saw them, his eyes flickering to the side briefly as if he wanted to escape but couldn't. Wufei knew why the technician wasn't happy to see them. They had been dogging the department ever since handing over the computer boxes they retrieved from the Parasite research base. Literally every day. But they had to. Not only did the Preventer's head, Lady Une, demanded daily updates on the situation, the Huntsmen head, Odin Lowe, also not so discreetly rang up every morning to ask about progress. Unlike Une who respected time zone differences and waited until it was exactly eight in the morning to inquire each time, Odin had not hesitation in calling Wufei at two or three in the morning, and sometimes at four, his timing completely random. If it weren't part of his clan duty to be always on-call, Wufei would have switched off his communicator and ignored the Huntsmen head. Sally had no such hesitation. She had switched hers off mid-call when Odin first rang her in the early hours of morning, and kept it off during the times she was asleep. Odin had complained about it in a loud, verbal blasting. Not that Wufei cared as he wanted to do the same.  
'Well?' Wufei barked at the man in the room. Sleep deprivation over the last four nights had not improved his temperament. Not that it was very amicable in the first place.  
The technician shook his head in response.  
'I'm afraid there's not much since you last spoke to the head boss.'  
'Is he in? Or even the second-in-command, Quinze?'  
'Um, the head's out of the office now. Professor Quinze is still on leave, and will be back next month.'  
'Hmm... since you're here, maybe you can tell me how the progress is going? I know it's only been a few days, but any information would be appreciated.'  
'Well...' the young technician winced and shuffled his feet. 'The boss is working on something but he will be back in the afternoon to talk to you guys about it so...'  
Sally looked direct into the young man's eyes and smiled warmly.  
'Please?'  
The awkward man blinked. A pink blush came up his neck. Then he readily spilled. Wufei was taken aback by the abrupt change in attitude by the technician from avoidant to helpful.  
'Well... I... it's not official or anything as we're still running tests but the guys that are running them say that it's likely only four of the nine memory cubes you retrieved will be readable. The scan results that came back earlier this morning from the basement crew showed the other cubes to be actually more damaged internally than it first appeared. They have cracks but the guys are checking to make sure there's really nothing they can do.'  
'I suppose there was no help for that. How long will it take to decrypt the cubes that are intact?'  
'We're not even to that stage yet, madam. Apparently those boxes that came with those cubes weren't like those other fried boxes that had been brought in from before in your searches. They aren't standard stuff made by any known manufactures. We think that it's a version of a design that was used for the Mars Project pilot project before it got cancelled at the outbreak of Six Year Wars. If it weren't for the fact that some of our senior engineers had worked on that Project, we'd never have recognised the pattern layout. Apparently the hardware tech had been classified a black secret by the old United Earth Sphere Alliance government- and they buried the technology designs deep somewhere we can't find. The outer layer has to be reconstructed and reconfigured enough so the cubes can be even activated.'  
Sally's eyebrows shot up.  
'So... we're onto something big then? If they're that unique...?'  
The young technician began nodding in geeky enthusiasm. The gleam of excitement was clear in his eyes.  
'The guys and I think so, though the boss said he wants us to be triple sure and prepared with extra proof before we declare anything to Lady Une. He said something about being on the line in the worst way if we're wrong, so don't take what I'm saying as fact yet- but we're really pretty sure about it. We don't have the designs, but the senior black ops guys that we contacted yesterday morning said that they believe they can remember enough to reconstruct at least the outer box circuits. The boss got permission to them from the Preventers and some other places so they came in last night and started to mould together a test box downstairs, along with the basement crew. I think a few are still down there- but they're really in deep now and are busy.'  
'Don't worry, we're not planning to disturb them. Do you know what they're doing?'  
'The senior guys say they can probably get a solid working primary link-up between the cubes and boxes within this week, along with its outer physical shells up and running. But the problem is in the data matching. We have borrowed a mega-decryptionator courtesy of the authorisation order you gave us to be able to get what was required to crack the cube. Intelligence wasn't happy with us, but they are delivering it from L4. But to link that processor with the cube's inner running layer to make sense of the logic requires a signal code translator- and we don't have the driver software.'  
'Can't you get it from somewhere?'  
'Definitely not. It's a customised software- which is why we're worried. Without that, the coded data won't be readable. Our head's actually out now trying to get in touch with one guy that had created the original translator for the Mars Project, but he's not sure if him or his old friends can contact him. If we have to recreate it by backtracking, then it can take months, if not years to establish an inner layer logical link-up- if we can reverse code successfully. All of the senior guys said that programming language wasn't their strong suit as they were from Earth, and Howard, the scientist who had made the translator, had used some weird Colony language script. His assistants had also been from the Colonies. They had been in charge of the computer systems management. Which was pretty much why the Mars Project was cancelled at the start of the Six Year Wars. They couldn't make the technology work properly without the Colonists, and all went disappeared during the wartime. I'm a Colonist programmer myself, but I don't recognised much of it. It's a Colony language script that's a bastardised version of the various Lagrange zone languages, but nothing I can understand.'  
'Wait... this... Howard, you say? Can you tell me more about him?' Wufei inquired.  
'According to the Head, he'd been quite a character. He was a balding guy, but the scientist always hair-sprayed his side hair locks so the grey strands stuck out like twin points and matched that with a pointed goatee. He wore loud Hawaiian shirts with sunglasses all the time regardless of the occasion. We tried looking up him and his crew on the net, but there was no information on them- not even footprints strangely enough. Which is weird, since us programmers- regardless of where we're from- always hang out there in the net in one form or another.'  
Sally turned to Wufei.  
'Do you know him?'  
'Not personally. But the description of the man sounds familiar to me.'  
'Can you investigate him?'  
Wufei arched an eyebrow. 'Of course, I will. You need not to ask, woman. I know my duty.'  
Sally's communicator beeped.  
She answered it.  
'Hello?'  
'Anything?' came a mournful whine.  
'Yes Odin- but we're having problems accessing it. But it looks like we're onto something. The panels were using some unique technology from some project called the Mars Project. It's a good thing you called as I need to ask you- do you know anything about it?'  
'The Mars Project? Hell- that was a long time ago. Not to mention, it was a nasty project. How in hell did that technology get onto that remote research site? Exactly who were the scientists they used over there?'  
'Well, we better hope that no guy called Howard was over there and end up being Parasite food- because without one of those programmers from the Mars Project, the information I'm getting indicates we're not going to get any useful data in a long, long time- like a decade.'  
'If the rate of deaths continue, we won't be here in a decade.'  
'Exactly.'  
'Damn it... I don't know where old Howard went during the Six Year Wars.'  
'You knew him?'  
'Not personally- I knew of him. He was a Sweeper leader.'  
'What are Sweepers?'  
'Small bands of roving spacers that took up projects here and there for money. They were like the Earth mercenaries, in a lot of aspects. Weirdly enough though, they also were pretty religious. They were fanatics in worshiping death. But to my knowledge, the Sweeper bands perished during the wars because they were attacked from both the Earth and Colonists. It's not looking good...'  
A loud bray of laughter sounded from the hallways. Deep laughter joined in.  
'The head's back!' the technician exclaimed.  
Two figures appeared in the doorway. One was the head of technology. The other, a slender, wizard figure of an old man dressed in painfully bright Haiwaiin shirts. Both of them held wrinkled space suits in their arms, indicating they had just gotten on base from space.  
The old man peered at Wufei, Sally and the technician from behind the head manager and shifted his bundle.  
'Well now, hello. Nice kids you have there. Introduce us?'  
With a wide grin, the head obliged.  
'Lady and gents- this is Howard.'  
Sally dropped her phone and squealed in excitement- much to the embarrassment of Wufei. Shooting the woman who briefly had reverted to girlhood a glare, Wufei then nodded with dignity at the old man.  
'Greetings sir, we are very, very pleased to you here. Please be welcomed.'  
'That I am- I believe we have many things to discuss?'  
'That is true indeed.'  
'Everyone- if you would come with me, we can continue this in the basement with the others. Howard, I'll introduce you to everyone properly when we're there because you need to meet the others...'  
The group of five trooped together towards the basement in the wing complex.  
Nobody paid the forgotten communicator device attention on the ground, including its owner.  
'...Sally? Sally? What's going on there?' came Odin's faint voice from the communicator. 'Damnit- if you don't want me ringing Wufei up at three in the morning there to harass you out of your sleep, you'd better answer back!'

TBC.


	34. Chapter 34

'Heero- you fucking crazy musty crackhole! You will not do anything like that again without me giving the go-ahead- I'm the designated boss here!'  
'You are not my leader.'  
'Yes, I am. The more senior partner is the Mr.Big Man, buster- and that is me! You'll listen to me because I am damn well above you in experience. You are just lucky that stunt you pulled then didn't backfire on you. That Parasite had razor buddies that could have sliced you easy in that one moment you chose to-'  
'I saw them. They were no danger.'  
'Bullshit- two of those fuckers nearly got you-'  
'Irrevelent point- they did not get me.'  
'Argh! Damnit- you've gotta turn pro in a few weeks before we all go public, and pros work with people- not fly off and do their own special dynamic kung fu hero crap without warning- I specifically told you to work the left corner, not the center or right- and what do you do? Fucking wipe your shitty ass over the place! Did you think you look good doing that? Na-ah- your amateur moves stink to high heaven like a jammed toilet broken by a month-long constipated sumo wrestler!'  
Heero glared at Duo. Duo glared right back. It was odd how the human's eyes could flicker from the gunmetal Colbalt blue glint of anger to a violent vivid purple rage all within a space of a few seconds. There was just so much emotion in the human that Heero felt he was suffocating a whirlpool torrent lash just dealing with him. Heero did not like how unstable the youth was. Just being with him make him irritated. Heero shifted his stance and flung the gun in his hand away. It clattered on the floor without going off. Although the safety was off, the bullets in it was long spent. The gun ended up resting against Duo's blood splatted boots.  
'Damnit Heero- don't throw weapons around- especially not guns, you dickhead!'  
'I don't have to listen to you.'  
'Yeah you do. I am your senior partner!' Duo snarled. 'My word is God! I so own your ass and the shit that comes out of it.'  
'My ass does not come with ownership papers,' Heero snapped back, staring back at Duo's stormy violet eyes. 'Nor does my shit! And if my head had a dick, it will also not be yours to handle.'  
Duo's glare turned into a strange look as he blinked at Heero's angry response.  
Heero continued to glare at Duo.  
Duo took in Heero's serious look, then his lips began twitching. The other boy abruptedy turned away from Heero in a curved, belly-grabbing move that was beginning to become familiar to Heero.  
'Mpf- damn you Heero... you're so fucked... heh ha ha...' despite Duo's attempt to push down his laughter, the boy did not succeed.  
The sound irritated Heero.  
Damnit, the idiot was laughing at him! Again! Frustration surged up in Heero along with the full-on laughter that erupted from Duo. His fists and jaw clenched as he looked helplessly at the human, not understanding what was Duo's problem. From screaming anger to laughter back to shouting again- from the very first session since the beginning of last week when the training rooms opened up- the human was a confusing blend of aggressive activity and loud noise that Heero barely understood. And that was during the times when the long hair human actually made some logical sense. Trowa was unavailable for help in decrypting the human's actions as his comrade had been paired with their other room mate in separate room.  
After the signing the week before, the Huntsmen leader Odin, with a toothy grin that Heero was starting to recognise as a characteristic of the man, had presented with flourish a list outlining their new activities to the group. It had involved ousting their general academic subjects off schedule in favour of practical sessions for the eight weeks leading up to what was called "the official debut". It was a planned event where there was to be a formal showing of the New Pack's strength to the public- basically a planned match through the capital of a nearby country followed by an outright purging of Parasites from the chosen area. Odin had cited it would likely occur in either Geneva, Berlin or Paris. Perhaps even Sanq in the Sanq Kingdom. Generally large human gatherings were rare since the Parasite outbreak due to crowd security, but the Huntsmen in force felt confident it could manage the risks. The ratio of hidden Parasites to humans was extremely high in Sanq so the city was considered by all in discussions as unlikely to be selected as the New Pack frontline site. However, the question of the city of choice was not yet settled, and discussions about which city had diverted most of the media attention from the moral conflict of using children in the frontlines. The media which did choose to focus on the issue were the far-learning left minority and were generally ignored by the mainstream. The PR centre of the combined Huntsmen, Preventers and intergovernmental authorities closely monitor the breakaway segment of journalists but did not muzzle the media. After all, there were plenty in their own ranks who agreed with the leftist sentiment, but other practical alternatives were non-existant. The politicking was kept away from the students in order no to deter them on the various Huntsmens campuses scattered on Earth and in Space, and naturally, also the main campus.  
There had been a silent new filter placed on the net channels within the dormitory rooms to screen out the information to students but Heero had easily bypassed the filters to monitor the ongoing news nevertheless. He wasn't overly concerned about human politics- he refused to consider himself a news addict even as he combed the net for information across multilingual channels during nights. The Colonial dialects and English channels provided point of views were wide ranging - from neutral to irrationally radical. The French channels were mostly intellectual, left leaning and highly critical but lacked of any proposals resembling a soloution. The Spanish channels he favoured as they provided the most information told in rather engaging dispaching speech and were quite pointed in their views, abide, the channels were overly emotional at times. Sobbing on screen with wide hand gestures was a characteristic of one of the more popular screen reporter the South American continent favoured. The fluid hand gestures the reporter used reminded him disturbing of Duo at times. Although the Asian channels provided much of the same information in more subdued speech, he liked to watch the Japanese news channels as they had odd stories about seals, turtles and penguins interspaced between the serious politics and news developments.  
History channels were also of interest to him, as they no longer had classes in it. He was currently following an Earthian World War Three documentary series and was fascinated by the telling of raw powerful human meat fighting amongst themselves. It stuck him that humans were rather repeatative by nature, as another document he had watched on the more recent interspace Six Year War had great similarities.  
Save for the first years who only just entered the school, almost everyone in the Academy was in preparation- earth-wide and space-wide, so classes considered non-essential were temporary cut out of the student schedule of the mass majority whom had volunteered. Although Heero had reluctantly found himself as part of the leading representative group of the New Pack, they weren't the only group formed. All the youth volunteers who accepted the offer that came with the yellow card selection were undergoing intense practical sessions in groups. The focus on training over other academic subjects led to entire blocks of training rooms fully booked out with fiercing squabbles breaking out amongst classes and groups for converted room sessions. The lead group Heero and Trowa found themselves in, however, had the largest two training rooms in the East Wing specifically reserved for their use alone- and so they only had to share it amongst themselves. Their arrangement was simple- the males of the group occupied the rooms during the morning and the females took over after midday. This was because of the special arrangement made for Hirde- Lieutenant Noin had classes during the morning, and since she offered- or rather, insisted on personally tutoring Hirde as the senior partner, the females were given the afternoon sessions This left Dorothy and Relena partnered together for training and both had eyed each other discreetly when the partner assignments were announced. Almost if they were eying each other competitively but as Heero understood it, females of the human species were cooperative specimens, not competitive ones like the male half. It was written in an encyclopaedia entry he had read once in an old, dusty library during his earlier learning travels with Trowa when they first were investigating how the human social world operated.  
But as the female half of the New Pack lead team often occupied the rooms well into the night, the males had to rise up early- before four am- to make the most out of their allocated usage time. Especially since homeroom time was still slotted in at seven- abide, the mandantory session attendance time for the boys was cut down to a ten minute rollcall instead of thirty. Since Heero did not sleep, he was not perturbed by the early time they rose up. But Trowa was generally unhappy about leaving the warmth of his bunk. Since the snow outside had lightened up, Trowa took advantage of the better turn in weather to slink in and out of the room to hunt rabbits in the forest after midnight. He would return a little past one in the morning, with the faint trace of animal blood on him and his stomach full. Heero would have perhaps joined Trowa in a hunt, but raw warm animal flesh would remind him longingly of the taste of humans so he refrained. He preferred to eat either the substance of humans at designated set proper times or humans. The later he could consume anytime as the hunger to do so was always there. He would not do anything half-way. Hunger did not drive him like the other Parasites who were mindless slaves to it. It was not like he needed to eat more than an ordinary human, despite the urge. But unlike Heero, Trowa found the servings of human food supplied at the Academy inadequant for his intake as Trowa did not digest most food other than meat well. Instead of offered vegetables like peas, carrot, potato or salad, Trowa considered grass a better plant to eat- and only when sick, although he did have a fondness for apples. Hence, in the early hours when Trowa was roused from sleep with his belly still full from his secret nightly hunt, the sleepy green eye Project Three fox would let out a growl before fully awakening. The blond, Quatre Winner, was relentless in forcing Trowa awake despite Trowa's animalistic warning to leave him alone in bed. Then again, Heero noticed the blond also approached sleeping Duo without fear. Although Quatre was no fool and did take caution as he would remove the heavy Deathscythe from easy reach of the long hair boy before kicking his friend lightly in the ribs with a quick snap of his pyjama clad leg. Since the results led to undue frantic behaviour that make the upper bunk where Heero laid uncomfortable due to Duo thumping hard on it from below, Heero would vault lightly from the top bunk before Quatre approached his and Duo's side of the room after rousing Trowa.  
After Duo awoke, the air would be coloured for some time with language Heero did not recognise or comprehend despite his research in the many tongues humans spoke. It appeared Duo knew almost as much languages as he did, but their shared vocabulary was narrow. Eventually, Duo would quieten down after all were dressed and had on thick coats. During the period when all the four trooped up to the main building from the dorms, they stayed silent as to not do so was to invite a tirade of heated, disturbing nonsense from an otherwise seemingly dead, walking zombie who walked with his eyes fully closed. Trowa, at least, walked with his eyes half closed in the morning and so avoided the trees and branches which Duo, at least once or twice, would walk into or trip over during the dark dawn hours. In the path from their dorm to the main building, trees were loosing limbs from Duo's wrath. Heero was mystified as to why Duo would cut off a branch with his scythe each time he ran into a tree. The following morning would result in the stupid human tripping over the branch that he had cut off the morning before if the gardeners had not removed it. It simply made no sense.  
Quatre, who would normally stroll out confidently in the front alongside Duo, actually hung back during the early mornings behind Trowa despite being the instigator of the early morning training session start. This left Heero in front of Trowa and Quatre, with Duo at the forefront. However, Duo did not lead the group. Heero did. Duo lead only himself as the others would follow Heero down the poorly lit path towards the main building, instead of following Duo into the shadowed trees.  
And it was this human that proclaimed himself to be above him in experience? The same one who never learnt to keep his eyes open in the mornings and continually ran into trees and branches?  
The same one that was now... laughing at him?  
Heero glared at the long haired youth.  
Nevermind the Academy and the going-ons with the New Pack- he should eat the human and just leave the place with Trowa. It wasn't like they had to be there as Trowa was strong and up to full strength again. And there was an excellent meal in front of him, damnit! Duo had good muscles- he could see the strength in his forearms even as Duo curled away from him and held tightly on his knees in laughter, his black scythe weapon dropped onto the floor before him. The weight of welding the weapon had developed Duo's arms well. He could picture himself biting lightly into Duo's firm forearm muscles, just above the bony bit, and tearing into Duo. His hands were not overly big, still youthful in size, but no doubt each finger was lickable and tasty. The remaining splattered Parasite blood from their training session on Duo's hands only added to the allure. The black longsleeve shirt uprolled past Duo's elbows was slickly damp, and Heero noted with fascination how the blood-soaked wet material clung to Duo's biceps, traced along the hard angles of his broadening shoulders, down across his back, until it disappeared into narrow waisted black jeans which clung even firmer against Duo's body, clearly outlining Duo's curved buttocks and the cervice between as the long hair boy bent down away from him, his shoulders shaking in half-surpressed laughter. Heero's eyes locked onto the view and his eyes traced hungrily over the rear view of Duo's firm buttocks.  
Heero knew he could really appreciate that part of Duo.  
Oddly enough, he felt a different feeling than the ordinary urge for human flesh slide across his chest and curl down into his lower abdomen. Somewhat like it but... a different kind of hunger. He felt somewhat disorientated all of a sudden at the unfamiliar, heated sensation.  
The lunch bell chimed in the small, cooling down room.  
Lunch time. He wanted Duo. He wanted to- do what? Heero blinked and shook himself.  
No, he needed to control himself. Trowa chose to stay, for whatever reason, so he had to as well. That meant not eating his roommate and assigned partner until Trowa indicated he was ready to leave the Academy and the ridiculous New Pack assignment.  
The faint echoes of the chime faded away.  
They were in isolated area away from the actual combat training zone. It was not soundproof like the chambers and was connected to the general building PA system. However, due to the design of the curved room, there was an eerie electronic echo aftermath that resulted from the speaker bursting out the chime. The odd, muffled hooting sound coming from the still bent over human added to the din despite Duo finally gaining firmer control over himself. The noise made Heero's ears burn uncomfortably.  
'I'm going.'  
'Ha... ha... no... wait... damn, take back your gun and shit to the stock room first! Don't you dare leave me with the clean up again, you lazy-'  
Heero ignored Duo's order with a qualm. He ducked away from Duo's sudden reach and kicked the boy's legs from under him. The boy cursed and fell into a backward half-flip, half-roll that landed him back into position to try again but by then Heero had already stomped away from his assigned partner to find Trowa, showing Duo only partially a flash of his stiff and uptight back posture as the doorway clicked closed behind him. The barrier effectively shut off Duo's cursing as the boy lunged for the door. Heero reached back without looking and in a blur, coded the outer door's electronic controls to lock his partner in. Heero had memorised the entire campus network settings and kept constant track of changes. That included override passwords. Sounds of angry banging from the thin metal barrier sounded as Duo realised he was locked in and his ID swipe was not working.  
The human was very confounding and too noisy, Heero thought darkly.  
Heero did not consider himself lazy. He wasn't the one who had difficulties getting up in the morning. Nor was he responsible for taking the weapons back to the storeroom. It wasn't like he wanted the bag load of arms Duo had shoved into his arms each morning and insisted he use. They were a pathetic collection, and he felt insulted by their offering. Duo would not let him near the buster rifle lockers for him to find arms more suitable to his preference. He did have one good handgun- taken from a highly secured locker when Duo had been busy guarding the buster rifle section. It was mandantory for all students to carry weapons all times. Heero kept his gun hidden down his loose uniform trouser pants against his spandex and never felt the need to use the extra stopping power on the Parasites during training. The Parasites were all too easy to handle even with pathetic firepower Duo told him to use.  
He saw down the hallway a tall figure hurriedly strolling down with a machine gun swinging behind him from a shoulder strap. A single visible green eye glinted at him as Trowa strolled past him, and in silence, Heero nodded and then joined Trowa. He recognised the silent communication for what it was. They broke into a light jog.  
The sound of proper, expensive hard shoe soles hitten metal made its way down the halls rapidly just as Heero and Trowa started to make their way towards the area exit.  
'Trowa Barton!' called a stern but boylish voice that clearly expected to be obeyed. Quatre's upbringing as the most important Winner heir was clearly evident in the way that Quatre did not shout or scream out Trowa's name in anger, but merely raised it so his even tone rang clear and true down the hall.  
Trowa's pace picked up and Heero, without questioning, joined Trowa in a more hurried run towards the end exit.  
'Trowa- I said, stop!'  
The footsteps grew more rapid. Then they suddenly paused as banging arose.  
'Duo?'  
More banging sounded. Seconds later, Heero winched as the voice of his partner roared out in clear anger.  
'Hey Heero, you fucking cunt- get back here! Hey!'  
It appeared that Quatre Winner has also kept track of and memorised the override lock code of the campus, Heero noted as he hasten his pace. He was indeed, a dangerous human of many talents. They snagged up their coats at the end of the hallway without pause and exited the training area. Heero whirled around to rapidly code the area's sole entrance and exit to the training room grounds to trigger an emergency alarm for a Parasite outbreak. Then they began running to get ahead of the various barriers that came down to cut off the exit. They had to roll under the final barrier, but Heero and Trowa managed to get out of the now isolated wing in time before all the barricades locked into place. Although Heero did not realise it, there was a slight smirk to Heero's lips as he and Trowa got up from the floor. The humans had fixed up the secondary system now so that unless Winner or Maxwell was capable of hacking deep enough into the main systems through a control room, they would have to bypass all the the barrier panels manually. Heero would not underestimate the time it took for the two humans to do so, as he had heard from Trowa about Quatre's capabilities to do so before, but he knew they at least, would not be disturbed for lunch. They dusted themselves off and shrugged on their winter coats in preparation to go outside the main building.  
It was only when they were far away from the main building and entering one of the smaller cafeteria onsite did Heero finally comment on the leather collar and broken chain that hung from Trowa's neck.  
'Why do you have that on?'  
He noticed a few of the other students in the cafeteria had given him and Trowa a few looks when they first entered but all had ceased paying attention to them in favour of conversation with their friends. The amount of people wearing studded leather collar, chain accessories and general useless attire along with their formal school uniforms had been an increasing visible trend that increased since the New Pack proposal, so Trowa did not at all look out of place. The same humans usually had their hair dyed odd colours as well, for some incomprehendable reason Heero was yet to ascern.  
'Training. Quatre snapped this leash on me from behind before I realised it when we both returned to the training room after morning call.'  
There was a faint embarrassed tinge on Trowa's cheeks as he admitted his lapse. Heero did not comment or criticise. He merely raised his eyebrow in silent question.  
'He said it was so that he could drag me forward during the session as he had enough of me hanging back.' Trowa winched and pulled at the leather collar. 'I can't get it off. The lock on it won't let me undo the collar, and it's binded too tightly to slip a knife under without slitting my own throat.'  
'I can take it off for you.'  
Without turning his head, Heero glanced around discreetly and ensured that there were no cameras around the area that could see his planned action. He then discreetly hooked a finger under the thick leather of the collar and turned the palm-side of his finger into an extended blade. With a tug, the collar was sliced off. He returned his finger to its human shape swiftly, almost instantenously, before the collar fell off Trowa's neck and clanged onto the floor of the cafeteria they were in.  
Nobody noticed how Heero got the collar off, although three senior students jumped in alertness at the sound of the collar clanging on the tiles. They noted Heero picking up the offending item with glares Heero more than matched, before turning their attention away.  
Heero passed the cut collar to Trowa, who then dropped the item into his winter coat's deep pocket.  
'Hn... the small human is dangerous.'  
Heero did not find hypocritical to call Quatre disparagingly small despite the blond human being the same height as he was.  
'More than you would think. I don't understand why he insists on me joining in his frontline role and getting close to the enemy. Tactically, it is wrong. I have the guns. Guns are long range. I see nothing wrong with standing back and firing as a defender. It is clear that Quatre is more than capable to take the front. Why waste energy and expose oneself to unnecessary danger?'  
'Nn,' Heero grunted in agreement with Trowa- there was nothing wrong with that. After all, they had proven time and time again since their arrival that the tactic worked with Heero taking the lead and Trowa backing him up. There was nothing wrong with the way they worked in partnership. He did not see why it did not work with their current partners.  
The problem, Heero decided, must be with the humans. Quatre would not be so bad as a partner for Trowa if he ceased being insistant on Trowa to be actually active in fighting the enemy. The human was not without intelligence so perhaps this fact could be conveyed to him. Trowa was fortunate, in this sense. Unlike him. His partner was too stubborn and too determined to get in Heero's way during the fighting. A scowl past Heero's face was he remembered the lecture Duo gave him. Duo should cease trying to take the main role and learn to follow him. After all, Heero knew himself to be a perfect and flawless killer specimen. And Duo was nothing but a damn idiotic human.

 

TBC.


	35. Chapter 35

Duo was not happy. Quatre, besides him, was just as not happy. They were wasting their entire lunch time breaking out of the Centre's East wing by combining both their strength to physically unlock the barriers. Quatre deemed it a faster method than using the mainframes as the newer system updates was ridiculously convoluted to hack. Previous more separate layer were now tied in with other network layers so tight that making one entry that the network did not recognise as authorised ran the risk of locking down other areas of the Centre building. It was a good decision, but nevertheless, it was exhausting path to take even with the help of the fellow students from other training rooms who also had been caught by the security barricades coming down in the East wing. Initially, they had tried to take a short cut through a side weapons room, as Quatre had noted it would lead to a smaller hallway where there were less barricades to go through, but the weapon room doors had been impossible for them as an entire group to move, so they were left with the straightforward but heavily barricaded path down the main wing hallway.  
Duo caught himself several times wondering exactly Heero managed moving the fucking doors so easily before even as he strained at what should be the last barricade manual lock with Quatre.  
A motley crew of other students watched them from various sitting and resting positions. Per chance, they were strong and very large, tall well-built males. But unlocking the heavy metal doors, one after another, after a full-on morning training session, made them simply too exhausted to offer any further help. The smallest of the group, Duo and Quatre, were the last ones standing after going through the multiple barriers.  
'Oof... this is odd. When Trowa and I were unlocking the doors in the other wing, they gave way a lot more easily,' Quatre huffed.  
Duo laughed, but thinly as he was also as short of breath like Quatre due to the strain of continuously tackling two tonne barricades.  
'Fucker must have the same inhumane strength as his lil' ol' buddy- whose arse I will personally spank every lil' inch of with my own hands as soon as I get hold of him.'  
'This coming weekend... I'm going to fix it so I don't have to do this again,' Quatre muttered. 'Do you want to join? The whole system would benefit from a better update.'  
'I don't code, remember?'  
'Duo- I've seen you mess around with those lock decoders- you do free-code, and from what I've seen, your dirty scripts are amazing.'  
'I mean, I don't.... do net stuff.'  
'Why not?'  
Duo shook his head.  
'I use to, but... I don't anymore.'  
Picking up on the hint of something in his voice, Quatre nodded and let the subject drop. Instead, they both focused on pulling the barricade lock away. Or rather, Quatre focused and Duo fell back into darker memories.  
Yes, there was a time when he had a vivid interest in the net. Fuck, he had been just as hooked to his computer as the psycho Heero apparently was. Although there was no question the first computer he ever touched in his life was nothing like the sleek machine Heero spent the late night hours tapping on until the constant soft patter above his bunk sent Duo deep into sleep. His computer had been a black screen and red text L2 special - special in the sense of it holding the title of the cheapest product available in space- at least, during the time it actually had been in production- approximately a decade before his birth. It was outdated model that did not have touch sensitive pads or interactive screens. In looks, it appeared like a desktop model of one of those pre-Space Colony things they used to call computers- and like them, you actually had to use the keyboard to input anything. Its components were drastically kept simple and basic to keep down cost, and since it was an old model, its wireless capability was also set to a different space standard than the current channels. Father Maxwell, who have gave the computer to Duo after it became apparent nobody would be adopting him and that Duo was there to stay at the Church, used cable to connect the old computer to the L2 alt-dial-up network system. Despite this, young Duo was rapted by the computer. But since usage of the L2 alt-dial-up network involved spending much too much of the few precious credits he was allocated- Duo was reluctant to waste the money on getting the government tele-men to come to the Maxwell church to have them verify to the control centre via inter-L2 radio their permission to allow the computer to connect briefly to the L2 alt-dial-up network for a lousy ten minute session. Especially instead of the official rate of 3 and half credits, the tele-man would charge 20 credits for the privilege. Duo wasted 5 credits of his entire fortnight savings on getting rid of the one aggressive tele-man they had called over when it became apparent he would not go away without some payment after Father Maxwell and Sister Helen had both blanched at his quoted rate. Sister Helen had been quite upset over the incident, so Duo had vowed he would never again rely on the tele-men service. He should have known better as a former street rat to never trust the L2 government shits. People in office were more corrupted than the dealers on the street. However, one morning when walking by a trash can, a dumped pile of books caught Duo's attention. Somebody in the richer ranks of L2 apparently had been housecleaning, and while the good stuff like old clothes and the like had long been taken by the quick-eyed desperados, nobody had touched the collection of books. That morning, Duo had not gone to school but snuck back into his room at the church. Within the pile, had been a large variety of old to almost newish computer and engineering books. The former owner must have been a programmer scientist- there also was a lot of notebooks scrawled over with loopy script and with pasted on printed code that looked like a foreign language along with the pile. Duo read everything, then went out, combed the street and dumps for more books. He discovered that although his computer was ill-suited to connecting to net via the L2 internal channels, its inbuilt wireless when used with a home-made amplifier constructed from salvaged junk actually could connect freely to the space-wide net. Due to the pure simplicity of the computer- along with some modifications to the programming- Duo found himself in an entirely new, addictive world he never knew existed before.  
At first Duo had been purely curious for knowledge about the outside- so different from the everyday rundown poverty in L2. The network was very educational, even though he could not view graphics on his computer, he could read text- and the words captured his imagination. He remembered he would at times catch Father Maxwell by complete surprise when he asked certain questions about Earth and the other Colonies. To Father Maxwell's merit, Duo discovered, the priest knew a surprisingly great deal a lot about the various societies outside L2 and was deeply knowledgeable about almost everything Duo would ask him about. He would, however, remain tight lipped about criticising the inadequacies of the L2 Colony government compared with the more successful other Colonies.  
The network became his nightly playground. Duo, being an orphan, had no school friends who would visit him in the area where the church was. Although he was popular enough when it came to team sports during class and lunch times as he was very athletic, his classmates- being from the higher ranks of L2 society- would shun him straight after. Not that they were much better off than him, but being children of the government officials, they were at least middleclass- the top layer of society there. L2 had almost no upper class as generally those who could afford it would leave the colony.  
When he discovered the few elite had network banking channels leaking into questionable paths, the temptation to bitterly retaliate against the injustice proved too much.  
He stopped being a network observer and began to be an active hacker. Young as he was then, he thought he could have made things better. He spent nights figuring out intricate black-box bank systems, filtering and re-channeling funds into charities and other areas. Even into poorly-funded worthwhile governmental areas such as clean water projects for the slums. Duo attempted, in his own way to alter the fortunes of those less advantage. After doing his daily afternoon chores, Duo would race up the stairs to his room to log on. Sister Helen, accompanied by the younger orphans, would come up to his room at dinner to lure him down with either sweet words or threats. He would quickly wolf down his meal- to stop the other younger orphans from stealing portions of it away- then would proceed to pretend to steal food from his younger charges in retaliation, to much laughter. After dinner, Duo would help bath and tuck the young orphans into bed, then race out again to his computer. At midnight, Sister Helen, sometimes joined by Father Maxwell, would visit to sternly ensure Duo went to his bed instead of staying on the computer. Of course, after they left, Duo would sneak back online to further his cause of stealing from the corrupted rich to give to the poor and needy.  
But after....  
Duo wished he had not spent so much time online.  
Duo wished he had spent the nights instead with Sister Helen as she told stories from the bible to the younger children until they fell asleep, instead of leaving them after he had helped them all settle into the giant large bed the younger orphans all shared. Sister Helen had a lyrical voice, and Duo always enjoyed how she told the stories no matter how many retellings he had heard. He wanted to her tell the inspiring one about David's battle with Goliath again. Duo wished that after the younger ones were asleep, he could have instead accompanied Sister Helen down the stairs towards the study where Father Maxwell would be preparing his parish sermons for the next day, as he used to do before, and that all three of them would talk and debate about general topics - and sometimes whether Father Maxwell's version of God really existed. How he would make them laugh, make them angry and make them laugh again. Father Maxwell had a stern face during the day, but it often would crinkle into a warm expression during those relaxed times when Duo would startle a laugh from him.  
Instead, he had wasted the time he had with them, not knowing that....  
Not knowing that times like those did not come back when gone.  
He spent a lot of time in the various hospitals he was rotated around afterwards, just thinking.  
'Duo... Duo... Duo! Will you listen to me- hello!?'  
'Huh?' Duo blinked.  
Quatre frowned at him.  
'I said, Duo- you're pushing the bottom lever down- it's wrong way. You're supposed to pull it towards you.'  
'Ah, sorry.'  
'Thanks- on the count of three- one, two-'  
There was a clang.  
'Threeee....'  
The final barricade opened and a weary cheery came from the group of boys instead.  
It opened to reveal Lieutenant Noin holding an electronic override box key held before her, Dorothy, Relena and Hirde at her side, and a scattering of females behind them. All of them had their weapons drawned.  
'....'  
Quatre and Duo blinked at the group.  
Noin looked down the fully opened, barricade-free main hallway behind the group of boys, then looked down at the barricade key she held.  
'Well, I guess we didn't need this after all. I guess it was a system malfunction girls, and not a Parasite escape. You'll have to wait until you're in your booked training rooms to fight, I'm afraid. You boys all look tired. Although lunchtime is almost past, you have permission to skip the next period to eat and rest, but make sure you are all in class for the following period. It's important for you to attend the few remaining classes as they are important- your brain is also a muscle, and we at the Academy take pride in raising warriors with minds. I will check your attendance afterwards.'  
With that, the group of girls filed past the boys, lead on by the Huntsmen female.  
Hirde patted Duo's shoulder cheerily as she walked past, but didn't say a word. The sparkle in her eyes, however, said everything.  
As the girlish giggles faded down the hall and into various training rooms, Duo growled softly.  
'I'm going to fucking kill Heero!'

TBC.


	36. Chapter 36

There was a tapping sound in the room. It didn't pause as Duo entered the dorm room with a dark scowl even though he knew Heero was well aware of him. He dumped his bag onto the ground, near his bunk and kicked it under with his good leg. He did the same thing with the plastic bag that held his dirty clothes from the daytime, and the now damp towel he'd use after his shower. Duo would throw the items in the common laundry later, but tonight, he didn't care to go trooping downstairs with his sore knee. He whipped his braid back- the tuffed ends of it slightly damp from the shower- and walked in with his Deathscythe in hand.  
His other bad leg had already mosly healed, thanks to the nano-bio bandage that aided healing, but it was still sore so he avoided using it. The nurse was to inject the final nano-bio solutions to fully heal the strained muscles early next week, once the supplies came in. Due to the ongoing events across Earth and Space, nano-bio solutions were expensive and always in short supply. However there had been a recent special arrangement made with the Winner Enterprises's medical business unit which allowed the Huntsmen Academy to receive supplies of nano-bio medicals- and other regular medications and goods- on a guaranteed regular basis. The arrangement was a temporary contract and clearly only favouritism due to the presense of the heir at the Academy, but the medical staff were over the moon about it. They treated Quatre like a god when ever he came by. Although the supplies that came in were limited and expensive as the goods were not subsidised in anyway, it was the fact they came in at all that was celebrated. Demand for medical supplies were at an all time high in years, and seemed to go upward on a neverending curve. Unlike battle events during the Six Year War which were spaced out and limited in impact, the war on Parasite occurred on an unrelenting, daily basis. The strain of constantly treating victims and population protectors forced hospitals and medical centres everywhere to operate with inadequate stock.  
On an individual level, Duo wasn't too concerned about the lack of instant nano-biotrics though. He came from L2 where only those who could afford it ever saw a doctor, so he found being under the supervision of one extremely discomforting and privately didn't trust them. If injections of nano-solutions weren't necessary to his recovery, Duo wouldn't be found near a needle. He never let it showed, but he was deathly afraid of syringes. Needles reminded him of those prostitutes that were addicted to drugs. A lot of them not intending to start out that way, but pimps knew that sticking them would make them whore for a cheap rush instead of demanding a more expensive fair cut of the earnings. During slow nights, gangs of pimps and prostitutes hungry for a high took to roaming the streets to sticking any prey they found to turn them to new whores. They would hold needles up and ready, alert for prey like zombie soldiers armed with guns and orders to kill. When they ran somebody down, they'd jabbed them repeatedly until the victim become drug-fucked and high. The victim would be then dragged off to the pimp's base. Sometimes they ganged up on clean rival whores who worked alone or didn't have a strong backer, but street kids were their favourite target since they would be new blood. A fresh hole. Didn't matter what the age was. Teenage, child or toddler - even a baby could be fucked. Plenty of tourist people visited L2 for that very reason.  
Grabbing and sticking was a cost effective way of keeping a stable filled with bodies, as those drug addicted prostitutes never lasted for long. He'd seen kids he'd liked, kids he hated, grabbed and stucked along. Some teenage girls with babies too. Then they'd disappear for a few days and when they came back, they'd be turned with hungry, empty eyes that looked right through you without any recognition. He'd a memory of a trio of girls who'd been grabbed and stucked. They were on a corner controlled by one of those drug pimps. Two of the babies were bleeding through their nappies, crying as their mothers absently tried to breast feed them as they looked around for their next client, while a ragged third had remained quiet. The baby was held close to the baby's giggling mother's heart as she laughed inanely at nothing, but the nappy the baby wore would was soaked a dirty brown red and the baby clearly was quite dead from haemorrhaging. Its head flopped from one side to another as the giggling mother talked in giblish to the other two girls to which they responded with equally inane giggles.  
After Duo came to the Maxwell Church, during the first Christmas he spent there, Father Maxwell and Sister Helen took out a fake baby Jesus doll used for school plays to illustrate with enthuasiam their plans to have the whole orphanage re-enact the birth scene of Jesus Christ. Duo had suffered from nightmares that night. Although he tried to be tight-lipped about why he was scared, somehow Father Maxwell and Sister Helen coxed the real reason out from Duo, and were horrified by his reluctant, surly explanation of why. The orphanage was surprised the next day that the planned stage play for Christmas was changed to a more simply general singing of hymns instead followed by the lighting of exactly one hundred of the most expensive and fanciest candles gifted to the Church by donors. The scene of the one hundred candles lit as they sung church hymms far into the night remained one of his most treasured memories. A great deal more was received, but those were reserved for lighting during rest of the year.  
The lights on L2 were fed by flame, not like the fluorescent lights in his dorm room. Duo felt an odd lurch feeling in heart as he looked up at Heero tapping away on his computer in the upper bunk. The clean, bright modern scene was worlds away from what he was use to. Heero so clearly found nothing wrong with the clean lining of his bed as he lay in it, but to Duo, his cotton bedsheets still had that foreign feel to them as they had no holes and were not ragged or threadworn. Heero was from Colonies too, but he knew they were very different. Heero was probably from a rich Colony, L1 or maybe even L5- he had those sharp Asian eyes, after all. Heero had that snooty and had that way of holding himself so upright, self assured and arrogant in his belief of supremacy.  
It was irritating. Even when on his stomach, looking down at his computer screen, Duo could swear Heero's spine was stiff and straight as a staff pole.  
Duo lightly dragged his own Deathscythe staff behind him and clicked the door closed. Putting it aside, but not far away, Duo then sat down on his bed and noticed the other ground bunk bed across from him was empty. From doorway, he'd initially thought the plumped up blankets and pillow held a resting Trowa but strangely enough, the tall companion that constantly tagged alongside Heero wasn't there.  
'Well, well, well- where's your dog?' he remarked in surprise.  
Heero grunted.  
'Don't grunt. I'm talking to you and that's not a reply.'  
'Why are you talking to me?'  
'For fuck's sake, I'm asking where's Trowa?' Duo snapped. 'Aren't you like two peas in a pod, together all the time?'  
'I'm not a vegetable.'  
'....damn... this is so hard to not do....'  
Duo forcibly clawed back his fingers which had unconsciously went to his side seeking the cool metal of his Deathscythe and latched onto the staff. He was not going to lose his temper and kill the brown haired boy. Relax, relax.... Duo told himself, remember what Quatre said at lunchtime after they got out of the training rooms? They were to find out as much as they could about their two quiet room mates. That did not involve bloodshed but actual investigation work to be done by engaging their enemies... ahem... their companions... in this thing called conversation, or rather, talk between intelligent species. Quatre had said although it was clear they were clearly dangerous, it remains to be seen as in what way. It was possible that they were like Dorothy, of a shady enough background connected to Romafella in some way. Romafella was extremist organisation that was dangerous to society due to its non-Pacifist ideals even as it partnered with the Huntsmen to battle against Parasites. If they were, they had to be monitored. Like it or not, they were now the leading representative team of the New Pack and that brought with it special responsibilities. Duo had rolled his eyes as he woofed down his food during lunchtime at Quatre's point. Then he had spat out his food when Quatre asked him to be Heero's friend to find out what motivated Heero. Duo almost refused outright there and then but the seriousness in the blond's expression made him stop and duefully swear that he'd try to be Heero's friend to find out.  
The emphasis on try.  
He'd try to do the impossible.  
If Quatre also asked him try to fly, he'll toss his blond friend out the door of a random plane sans parchute and cheerily wave him down with a 'you go first'.  
'Heero...' Duo took a deep breath in and directed his voice politely upwards to the bunk above him. 'Where's Trowa?'  
'Quatre took him for a walk somewhere. Said they'll be back late,' drifted down Heero's uncaring voice.  
Quatre always acted fast and decisively once his plans were made. No doubt he had thought to give Heero and him time to make friendly while Quatre worked his charms on Trowa. As intelligent as Quatre was, Duo supposed it never occurred to Quatre that time alone with Heero would not hasten the bonding process. After all, they'd pretty much been together since last week in their morning sessions day in and out and the relationship's only gotten worse, in Duo's opinion.  
He sighed then half-flopped himself on his bed. Duo made to take off his loose boots with a lazy hand, then shrugged and swung his legs over without bothering. He ignored the bloodsmears and mud stains they made on the bottom half of his bed. He was going to do laundry tomorrow so no problem. Duo was going to catch some shuteye early before the damn dawn's rising.  
The moment his head hit the pillow, loud alarms throughout the dorms began to ring.  
'What the fuck is that for?' Duo snapped up, his hand grabbing his Deathscythe as he half-rolled, half-swung out of bed. 'A Parasite attack? We've never had alarms going in the dorms before- how'd they get so far out of their cages?'  
The constant tapping above him stopped.  
Duo only felt a trace of wind past him as Heero jumped down from the upper bunk and made his way to the door.  
'Where are you going?'  
Prussian eyes looked coolly back at him as Heero paused at the door.  
'I have to find Trowa and make sure he's safe.'  
Duo jerked out his hand to the side where a free coat rack stood, flipped his wrist and threw a long jacket at Heero.  
'Well first, you ought to wear a friggin' coat and protect your balls from going blue mister knight in shining black spandex and skimpy tanktop. Some shoes too, because you'll look like out of place in snow just wearing socks, you know.'  
Heero growled but put on the coat and a pair of ugly mustard yellow boots. He didn't bother putting on trousers. Duo shrugged on his own coat and tightened his boot laces. As he straighten and took in the sight Heero made in the doorway, a smile quirked at his lips. Damned if Heero knew it, but he really looked like a suspicious flasher in the thick brown tweed longcoat and his mustard boots because of the expanse of bare calf skin showing below the coat line. Heero did have nice muscular calves, Duo noted. But he wasn't very hairy.  
'Here- hell, you've got to arm yourself too, Heero,' Duo turned away and bit down on a laugh. It turned in a cough as he dragged out a box Quatre usually keep filled near his bunk. 'You can take this gun and this gun too- some mags... and an extra- there. Quatre doesn't mind people using his stock of guns but I'll lend you some of my knives in case any get too close. Never use Quatre's private knife stock because he's really fanatically possessive about those. Never touch Quatre's knives unless he gives permission. That'll only come once in a blue moon so don't hold your breath. Anyway, they're mostly weird, custom built sickles he uses for throwing practice so they are awkward to use. I prefer the standard shape. Better balance because they're more even.'  
'Hn. Indeed.'  
Heero grunted as he was handed Duo's knives. Then after a long pause, as if Heero had to think hard about it, Duo unexpectly heard two words.  
'Thank you.'  
Duo gave Heero an unconscious, genuine grin in pleasure at the words. The other boy suddenly blink as if somewhat dazzled.  
'Just don't lose them. It's a bitch to get these babies for student use from the weapons because they're favourites with the full fledged Huntsmen.' His smile grew and he patted Heero's shoulder as he moved past the door. 'Come on partner, let's go!'  
A split second later, Heero followed.

 

TBC.


	37. Chapter 37

They walked side by side, with Trowa keeping a safe distance away from the blond human. Although he wasn't too sure if the two metre gap was large enough. Quatre, he knew, moved fast. Possibly faster than even his or Heero's own reflexes. Trowa looked around the place. They were at the back of the dormitory building, moving upwards a less trodden grassy path upwards. It was not visible, but Trowa knew the hilly grassy slope shield a shallow river on the other side. The apex of the hill was broken by a deep, steeper rocky drop that was fenced. It was only a two metre drop from the top of the hill to the river bed. Trowa knew the area beyond well because wild rabbits occupied the field. The snow covered shrubs and rocks of the fields hid the little white animals away from most predators but his senses easier picked up their warm-bloodied presence and scent. Even in the darkness of the night, he could pick up the traces of several rabbits hopping just beyond the fence. He longed to go after them, but unfortunately, there was a human beside him.  
Unlike Heero, he'd never understood the appeal of human flesh and would rather chew leaves and sticks than gnaw on a corpse. Hence, the presence of Quatre did not arouse in him any hunger. Still, Trowa did not that he was finding himself looking to Quatre more and more lately, and he wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was because Quatre reminded him of a rabbit? Perhaps it was a subconscious hunger for prey? Trowa gave his companion yet another glance. In the bright moonlight, Quatre's blond hair did looked white and fluffy, and his thickly lashed eyes mimicked the look of an wide eye, innocent prey, but Trowa didn't think so.  
Trowa was well aware of the skill the human welded with the knives he wore that was sheathed on his swaying hips. Quatre's movements were not cautious like a prey nor stalkish like a predator, yet it was intriguing to watch how his hips and torso swung. Fluid-like, without excessive force or show. He was also light on his feet. The grass and leaves beneath his boots made no sound at all as he led Trowa over the hilly slope, towards the river.  
'I've been wanted to talk to you earlier today.'  
'What about?'  
Quatre glanced at Trowa.  
'Your training, of course,' he stated flatly.  
Trowa rose up one eyebrow but did not speak.  
Quatre sighed.  
'Well, look. I do know I must apologise for placing a collar on you today. I sincerely apologise for that. I didn't mean to treat you like a dog or insult you. I had thought it a good idea at that time but in hindsight, perhaps that had been taking it too far. I know you are a good fighter- otherwise, you would not be in the same class as me, nor elected by the Leader himself to be in the New Pack, however, I am deeply worried about your tendency to be so... laid-back and passive. It seems at times... you aren't taking it seriously- as if you don't really care if you live or die. When you fight, you don't have passion.' Quatre turned to face Trowa. 'I want you to have more passion. I want you to care more about whether you will live or die. I want you to be more serious.'  
Trowa nearly blinked when the smaller blond boy unexpectedly took both of his hands in his own and held them. Quatre looked earnestly up at Trowa with wide, shining eyes that gleamed bright in the moonlight.  
'You are my partner. And I am yours.'  
He placed Trowa's hands on his heart.  
'I care about you. Please care more about yourself. We must fight together! With passion!'  
Passion? What was that again? Something heated, if he recalled correctly. Like fire. Definitely something painful to touch. Looking into Quatre's expectant gaze was certainly that. Trowa felt distinctly warm and uncomfortable. And there was an odd lurching, queasy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach that made him want to transform in his real form and lope somewhere far away from the human. Quatre felt... dangerous.... Yet, the human wasn't making any threatening actions whatsoever. Trowa's senses were disorientated.  
There was a shuffling, splashing sound from beyond the slope's cliff, from the river water. As if several rocks had been dislodged and thrown. It repeated.  
Trowa blinked as the odd sounds and the feel of danger from another direction brought him back. His hearing sharpened and turning his head from Quatre, he sniffed at the air.  
'Trowa- are you listen-'  
'There are Parasites in the river,' he stated with surprise. 'Many of them.'  
'What? Which direction? Damn, are you sure?'  
The warmth from Quatre's hands regretfully withdrew from his own as the blond turn in the same direction and unsheathed his knives.  
'How can they bypass the checkpoints? The river's entrance and exit is guarded by the Huntsmen checkpoints.'  
'I don't know. There's no blood in the air, but there's a group down there.'  
More splashing sounded.  
'It's a big group.' Trowa slipped out a knife from his thigh sheath that Quatre had given him earlier that morning and flipped his wrist. The acid smell of Parasite blood pierced the air. 'It seems that there must be one of the leading scout.'  
'...for goodness sake, of all times for a Parasite attack, it had to be mid-way through my carefully crafted speech....' muttered Quatre, 'and I spend all this afternoon on it too...'  
'...what?' Trowa was only half paying attention to Quatre now as he began moving rapidly to the now dead lead Parasite to pick up his knife to reuse it for the next Parasite.  
'Nevermind.'  
Quatre placed his fingers in his mouth and gave off two short then one long, extremely loud whistle. The high pitch sound broke against the air and carried away into the distance, resounding with a faint echo a few seconds later.  
Trowa nearly dropped the knife he retrieved at the incredible burst of sound. He winched again as Quatre repeated it again and again. The high, painful pitch was extremely annoying and made the hair on the back on his neck raise up. Due to his sensitive canine hearing, he could not stand it. It hurt his ears and he whimpered.  
'What was that for!?'  
'Manual alert to the Huntsmen guards that we're under attack.'  
Trowa picked up the sound of an alarm going off from the dormitory.  
'I see.'  
More splashing sounded, and multiple black shadows began to appear on the horizon of the hill slope.  
'We have to back up to the dorms where there's more light. It's too dark to see them properly- argh!'  
Trowa pulled Quatre away from a lurching tentacle that detached itself from the shadows and sliced it. As he brushed forward past Quatre, he smelt the light scent of human blood. Quatre had be pierced in the shoulder.  
'You, stay behind me.'  
'We're partners. We should be fighting together.'  
'Yes, but I need room to shoot.' He swivelled his machine gun from the straps and pointed it to the oncoming shadows. 'And I can see them better. I'll stay in front.'  
His night vision was only marginally better than then the best of humans, but Trowa's other senses easily picked up the slack. He took aim and several of the nearest shadows went down. He could fight Parasites blind without any problems.  
'Just don't whistle again,' he requested with a slight surly growl to Quatre. 'It's distracting and hurts my ears.'  
Quatre gave Trowa an amused look as he darted back to the left and this time, successfully dodged a tentacle from one of the shadows that did not go down. A knife flew past Trowa into the head of the surviving shadow.  
'Hm- I guess... maybe, if you're being passionate and serious, like now, I won't. Otherwise, I will whistle for you to come. It'll be our special thing.'  
Trowa frowned as he realised he had inadvertently given out a weak point which the sharp blond human had craftily noted. Disgusted at himself, he shot at the heads of several more upcoming blobs of blackness, keeping the shots precise and sparse as much as he was able to do so in the mixed shadows.  
Well, at least it was better than that collar, he consoled himself. As mostly a wild animal, Trowa loathed leashes most of all. Even if he was currently entrapped in human civilisation and assigned an overseer, it was only a situation he was enduring until they found a way to avoid the flash grouping of Parasites like the group he and Quatre was fighting against now. If they were now gathering and attacking in force the Huntsmen Academy, he and Heero would have to rethink their strategy to lay low in the midst of humans and using humans as shields.  
It didn't occur to Trowa to question why he was being contrary to the plan by shielding Quatre behind him.  
He only knew he was worried about whether they could actually defeat the group of Parasites. As more and more appeared on the horizon en masse, it was clear that the two of them was about to overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

TBC.


	38. Chapter 38

He had less than two good bursts left in his machine gun, Trowa calculated, before he had to go for his handgun. He tossed the dart knife in an lethal arch and retracted it by its lead. Quatre followed suit, fluidly copying his actions. Five Parasites went down, however, one came back halfway up in the telling position of regeneration. He heard Quatre let out a hiss at that. The one that came up had been the one Quatre had attempted to pierce through the bubble forehead it had, but the dart knife had not penetrated far enough, it seemed. Instead, the dart knife spun by Quatre had gotten stuck in bone.  
Trowa flicked his wrist and a secondary dart knife hammered the first dart knife into the forehead. Finally piercing into the nerve centre, the Parasite stopped its regeneration and fell down.  
'Thanks.'  
They whipped back the dart knifes by the cord in unison. Quatre unpinned Trowa's dart knife from the back of his, and handed it to Trowa. Trowa dropped it back into its holder, but didn't close it. He would be needing it again soon, Trowa knew, as he adjusted his machine gun.  
'Last rounds,' Trowa warned as he brought the machine gun's nozzle back up. 'Then we need to run for our lives.'  
He fired. Suddenly, a whole burst of guns sounded alongside him in unison. The first two lines of the Parasites masses went down, and most of the third.  
Trowa nearly gave a bark in surprise.  
'Oh- backup! This is great,' said Quatre in relief. 'I guess those emergency worst case scenario drills Noin put us through last year were effective. She's got good foresight.'  
Several lines of boys holding out firepower of various descriptions behind them. Pistols, hand-held guns to fully automatic machine guns like his bristled a steely line of defence. Trowa recognised them as the humans from his own dorm.  
Quatre smiled at Trowa.  
'Let's get back behind and refill.'  
Quatre reached out and tugged Trowa back behind the frontline of boys. Several boys who were less armed then the majority also dropped from the front behind to adjust and refill their pistols. Because extended Parasites tentacles were mounting attacks still despite the strong counter-attack, the line of young New Pack Huntsmen-to-be was constantly moving in a fluid fluctuation to avoid the deadly Parasite spears. Quatre and Trowa had to dodge and weave through it all. As they moved, Quatre kept a firm grip on Trowa's hand. Quatre's palms, Trowa noted, was surprising callused, like his own paws, and not soft at all like the blond boy's appearance. Quatre shouted over the firing of guns to a short, scrawny freckled boy.  
'Hey, do you have any spare ammunition for my partner?'  
'What calibur? Standard thirties okay? I don't have fifties or seventies, but that red-head fattie over there uses them in his pieces. He's a gun nut so he'll have spare guns too, if you need it.'  
'Thanks. Oh, thirties should be fine- thank you! Trowa, here you go.'  
Trowa blinked as two twin belts of heavy ammunition was presented to him.  
'Thank you,' he said quietly, in remembrance of human manners.  
Quatre beamed happily at Trowa.  
Ah, thought Trowa. The boy looked like a rabbit in a field unaware of danger and tending happily to a flower. He had that same wide eye look of innocence. Trowa answered Quatre's beaming look by curling his mouth back to expose his canines as he eyed Quatre with unconscious hunger. The blond boy seemed to catch awareness of that something else in Trowa's eyes. Then, something changed abruptly in Quatre's expression. His aqua green blue eyes darkened to the colour of a stormy tropical ocean as his breath hitched. Trowa stared at the change, unwillingly fascinated by the new difference. Now, instead feeling like a predator, he felt like their positions had abruptly changed- that he was a mere forest fox face-to-face with a wild desert cat that was carefully weighing him up. He had the sudden urge to wag in submission.  
'Trowa...' came a sudden, monotone, husky voice. 'Move.'  
Trowa found himself pushed violently against Quatre. They fell together towards the ground. As he twisted and turned, he caught a glimpse of a Parasitic tentacle lashing through the place where he once stood. Mid-air, he grabbed Quatre and forced the smaller boy against his chest protectively as he dived his hand down for his knife. The tentacle lashing through the air was covered in the deep red of the blood of the freckle-faced boy that had given them the extra ammunition. It was also covered with the white specks of the short boy's spine which the thick tentacle had smashed past. Still living, the impaled, half-paralysed boy let out a gurgle of red fluid through his wound and lungs, but determinately aimed his one last shot at the Parasite that he was attached to. As Trowa automatically sliced at the part of the tentacle's arm which extended past the boy's torso, the brains of the host Parasite exploded in the distance. Barely a second later, the modified ï»¿Browning dropped from the shooter's twitching hand. As the freckled-face boy dropped to his knees with the detached tentacle squirming in his chest, he died with a twisted, tight grimace of satisfaction mingled with pain.  
Trowa found himself looking up at Heero's unimpressed face upon impact with the ground.  
'....?'  
Heero nodded down at the warm, blond head of the human Trowa was hugging tightly in a protective embrace.  
'Mmpf! Mwoo-fra!' came a muffled expletive from Quatre as the boy struggled to turn around in Trowa's tight embrace. He sounded like a trapped cat.  
'....' Trowa had no words to explain his actions, so decided to just grunt like he often heard Heero do. 'Hngg,' he offered tentatively.  
Heero's eyebrow's shot up at the sound and he gave in return the same exact grunt, with a puzzled look.  
'Hngg?'  
'Yeah, it's official- you both are fucking aliens,' came an American drawl. 'Trowa- are you going to release Quat or keep feeling him up- Jesus Christ.... Holy fuck, is that tentacle still moving!? How!?'  
At Duo's startled exclamation, both Trowa and Heero turned to the body of the boy who had fallen. Now resembling a squirming lizard's cut tail end bloodied red to the tip with its last victim, the still detached tentacle was still squirming nearby the body. Trowa rolled away from the danger in instinct while Heero looked bored at the sight.  
'Hn....'  
The end of the tentacle arm was stomped on by ugly mustard boots worn with short socks. It ceased all movement after that. The thick sole of Heero's boots had popped an exposed cluster of bubbles on the surface of the tentacle before it could formulate an after-attack.  
The problem with Parasite tentacles was that some could remain live and deadly for a short period past the head brain's demolition if the Parasite had injected some of its brain cells in the ends. Such tentacles were marked by a trio-bubble of cells that looked like boils. Although the maximum limit for a tentacle to survive was approximately five minutes, it was a deadly threat when behind the lines of defense and not expected. It was a rare type of danger only occasionally previously encountered. Known to have occurred only in the latter years of the first outbreak, there had been no known occurrences of such in the second outbreak, considered likely due to the lesser intelligence level of the new wave. At least, to the knowledge of the humans. Trowa and Heero were both recently familiar with the after-attack possibilities due to their encounters with the peculiar pack-Parasites that closed onto them.  
'Npfh!!! Npmff- g'off!'  
Trowa ooffed air out as a solid punch landed to his stomach. He released the instigator.  
'Sorry, but I did ask you to get off of me!' A red-face Quatre scrabbled up from underneath Trowa's body.  
'Look, I'm not a woman and I don't need your protection,' he scowled as he got to his feet. 'But... thank you, anyway.' Quatre's jaw tightened and the blond boy turned away from Trowa.  
Trowa felt a strange unexpected loss at that.  
'Hey Quatre- check that shit out. Isn't that... you know? That stuff Noin covered before in that historic methods and concepts class?'  
'What? Hmm?' Quatre blinked as Duo grabbed his shoulder and pointed to the dead crushed tentacle under Heero's foot.  
'It has the same trio-boils markings and was live until he crushed the cells!'  
'What?' The blond's face went white. 'A brainer tentacle?' His blue-green eyes suddenly widened as realisation hit. 'Duo, Trowa, Heero- we've got to spread out and cover the middle lines! Alert everyone! Otherwise-'  
'Aargh!' a startled scream came from a young boy to the right of them. Inside his chest, squirmed a detached tentacle. It was clear from the pointed, lethal tip dangling in front that the tentacle had attacked the victim from behind.  
'We're already late!'  
The battlefield suddenly turned complicated as the formerly semi-ordered lines of New Pack boys descended into chaos. In addition to fighting the larger shadowy mass of Parasites coming in, there were screams and shouts as unexpected slithered attacks from detached parts of the defeated Parasites killed from within. Trowa found himself alone with Heero covering him as Quatre ran into the mess to dispense the alert of the new danger, with Duo going in the opposite direction.  
Desperately, Trowa tried to track Quatre's movements even as he reloaded and fired on the incoming Parasites from the river.  
'Damn it to hell, how many are they?'  
'Hm... not many left. At this rate, we should be able to kill all of them within ten or so minutes. It looks like the humans have adjusted successfully. Less are getting killed.'  
Trowa's eyes flickered over the crowd.  
'The blond one is still alive, along with his friend.' Heero stated dryly. 'It seems like they have managed to finish spreading the information, as they are paired now and focused on the front.'  
'Where are they?'  
'There. Near the late comers on the outer left.'  
'Heero... you're not fighting?'  
Bang. A detached brainer tentacle to the side of them was stopped mid-attack.  
'No. The humans are doing well enough. I'm just covering you-'  
Bang. Bang.  
Far away, something in the shadows jerked then paused.  
'-and that blond one.'  
Trowa finally spotted Quatre along with Duo. For some reason, the latter long hair boy was glaring and waving his hand with the middle finger raised at them. It was like Duo was upset at Heero's protective action.  
'I'll protect him for now, since you seem so interested in him. Do you want to eat him? He does look tasty, but I thought you didn't eat humans?'  
'....I don't think it's not a good idea to eat any of these humans here,' Trowa dodged Heero's questions.  
'Hmm... true....'  
Trowa quietly blessed Heero's simple-mindedness and general lack of curiousity as the other lost interest to focus on the action of shooting several newly detached tentacles that came into the midst of the defense. Each shots precisely burst the trio-bubbles of tentacles. Heero then turned his guns to the left side and fired a single shot. A distant Parasite on the outer left hill slope that had been about to launch an attack at the two was stopped dead, even before it's outreaching tentacles could be fully formed.  
Heero looked puzzled as the far-away Duo scowled even more and his upraised hand made a frantic display of jerking up and down with its finger raised.  
'Trowa... what does that mean? What is he doing?'  
'I don't know. Maybe he's making an appreciation signal of some sort? It might be a good human courtesy to echo it.'  
Heero lifted up his own hand and echoed Duo's jerking motion, closing all of his fingers exceed the middle one in a fist as he did so. As he mirrored Duo's signal so, Heero flickered his eyes over to Trowa.  
'Just remember, the blond one is human.'  
That was right. Trowa had forgotten. Heero wasn't always as simple-minded or insensitive as he seemed despite his general difficulties in understanding humans. There was a warning note there, indicating that Heero had indeed picked up on Trowa's mixed and confused feelings.  
Trowa shifted his weight and absently fired into the head of a Parasite.  
'Yes, I know. It's just that... for some reason... Quatre interests me.'  
Heero frowned as he looked again over at the other two.  
'Well, they are intriguing and confounding humans. I can't understand their actions at all.'  
Trowa followed the direction of Heero's line of sight. He blinked as Duo dropped his machine gun and stalked over to a late arriving human compatriot who had painstakingly lugged a weighty MANPAD mini-missile launcher over the steep grassy slopes. Duo took the weapon forcefully away from the other boy who attempted to cling to the weapon but suffered a kick to the stomach for his efforts. After flipping his distant watchers, Trowa and Heero, one last up-raised finger gesture, the long-hair boy then turned and heaved the MANPAD onto his shoulder. He then launched a missile at the remaining army of Parasites.  
The shadows of the night disappeared in a sea of flames.  
At the explosion's impact, Trowa ducked along with Heero. He crinkled his nose as dirt and bits of blood and flesh flew through the air to cover them. The other youths around them who were slower in reaction got pelted with the mix, and there was swearing and curses around them.  
'How many left?'  
'Less than twenty- no, much less now. But the network's gone.'  
'So it was that, as I suspected.'  
Heero grunted with irritation.  
'Of course. Without them, the Parasites are worse than stupid. Didn't you also sense it?'  
'Remember, I'm not attuned in the same way as you. It's difficult for me, with the noise.'  
'Hn. Are you tired?'  
'Physically, no. But I'm getting a headache.'  
'You're still sick. We'll go back to the dorms. It may be best to stay undercover here for a little while longer. That force was the largest one gathered so far. It seems their ability to control increased by much. I don't like it.'  
'Neither do I. This is the biggest headache I've gotten so far.'  
Heero looked around at the few scattered dead corpses around them in various poses of dismembered death. 'These humans are quite good barriers. It would have be a lot more bothersome without them. They've finished off all of the Parasites now.'  
Trowa's eyebrow lifted.  
'It's rare for you to offer praise,' Trowa observed.  
'Well... they were... somewhat effective,' Heero grudging stated as he stood and pulled up Trowa. 'But they are still just weak humans.'

 

TBC.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brand new chapter. Sorry for the long delay and thanks for your comments. Bath scene for you.

Duo wiped his hand down on his jeans then grimaced as he realised the action only dirtied his bloodied hand more with flecks of soil.   
'Come on Duo...They've taken away the last batch of bodies now. We should go back to the dorms and wash.'  
'I don't want to. I'm going to sleep this shit off.'  
'No, the bloody stuff isn't going to wash off. You'll stink out the room. So you will wash.'  
'The showers gonna be full.'  
'We'll bathe.'  
'I'm fucking tired, Quatre. I'm just... so fucking tired. Can't be bothered going to get a change of clothing and walking over there.'  
'Just... come,' Quatre slapped the back of Duo's shoulders and then pulled at him. 'We need to get the blood off us. There'll be spares there anyhow. It's mid-week so the common wardrobe will be restocked. Come on.'  
'Mid-week only? Fuck. There's classes tomorrow. I'm all ready for the weekend. Scratch that, I think I'm ready for retirement.'  
Two weary boys who made their way down the light-pink snow covered hill-side, their steps heavy with dirty wet brown mud that clung to their booted soles. Behind them, several adult Huntsmen loitered, still examining the place.  
The baths were separated out in baths and showers. On normal days, the open baths were full but was clear by the uniform bloody tracks towards the showers on the right and the cleanliness of the tiles leading to the baths no one after the battled had been in the mood to take long.   
The battle hadn't been without loss.  
Duo and Quatre was the last to arrive to the facilities. Duo stripped without much care, and dumped his clothes in a square locker. He also left his Shinigami staff pole beside, since the locker's side was the one nearest to the bathroom's doorway. A quick check revealed there was plenty of standard, starched school uniforms in their size hanging in the spares shared wardrobe. Quatre had been right in the fact there wasn't any need to go back to the dorms.  
Quatre looked deep in thought as he elegantly removed his shirt by carefully unbuttoning it. As if the shirt that he wore wasn't beyond being able to saved by drycleaning.  
'Duo... those Parasites... weren't normal,' he stated with a frown. 'They were really not normal.'  
'Well, duh. Brainer tentacles are fucking abnormal. Shits aren't common at all, even during the First Wave.'  
'Exactly! Brainer tentacles are only tentacles that can come from a thinking, advanced Parasite. It takes a lot more control to formulate, so the past Parasite specimens only started to branch into advancement in the later periods. The current level of Parasite's intelligence aren't even suppose to even be close to the first wave's initial decade. Yet... you saw the statistics that the Leader gave us, right?'  
'There was a fucking space-wide broadcast, and we both had live-tickets to the event. The world is ending, said our important Leader. I came and saw it all.'  
'It's just that the probability of the statistics-'  
'Yeah, yeah- whatever. And now you're the dude playing the violin to somebody who now doesn't give a shit about maths involved.'  
'Look, listen to me!'  
Duo paused in his nakedness at the sharp tone in Quatre's voice.  
'Sorry... yes?'  
'...I think maybe... there might be something we're not being told about. The statistics are just too incredible when compared to the past death rates of the First Wave. To get such a low prediction for the human population next year is not possible if . At least, unless you multiply the amount of Parasite numbers and apply the kill rate of the First Wave's final evolution, then... it would be possible. But to do so suggests that the current Parasites are on the same intelligence level.'  
'Which they definitely aren't. The final evolved Parasites are supposed to be smart as us humans, remember? They're a pain to deal with, but the Parasites we fight are dumb as all fuck.'  
'Yes... But not all the time. Like now. Their behaviour wasn't typical. Duo, do you think it's possible that something can direct the new Parasites? It's like they were acting like a cohesive unit with intent.'  
'What!?'  
'I'm just thinking, Duo.'  
'Well.. shit Quatre, don't you think that's a little science-fiction? How the fuck would somebody control Parasites? Mental telepathy? How'd that work on something without a proper brain? Mass gatherings like today have happened before. For example, you and me. It's not unusual.'  
'Well, aren't the existence of Parasites science-fiction already? There could be special powers-'  
Duo rolled his eyes.  
'No, they're our reality. Seriously, Quatre, the Parasites are big enough a problem already without giving them some sort of magical fairy-ass special powers.'   
Duo took a towel from the towel rack, and wrapped it around his waist. He then flung open the door to the public bath and strolled into the warm room with his arms upraised in the air.  
'Fuck Parasites! Da man is here!' he exclaimed loudly. 'Praise the man!'  
Duo then noticed two figures in the steam-filled open bathroom. Upon recognising the dark chocolate brown hair boy and his reddish-brown fox-like companion, Duo bit back a curse.  
Heero looked Duo up and down.   
'What for?' Heero asked, with a blank look.  
'Nooo- why!? Why!?' Duo groaned.  
'Why what?' An increasing puzzled and irritated look crept up the dark brown hair boy's face.  
'For fuck's sake, why now?' Duo answered. 'I'm not in the mood for it. Do you mind getting out of here, Heero? I don't want to see your face.'  
'We are having a bath,' Heero stated. 'And we were here first. So it should be you who should leave if you don't want to see my face.'  
'But we're clean now, so we can go. Let's leave.'   
Duo suddenly thought Trowa maybe wasn't a bad dude after all despite having a prick of a friend. As Trowa got out, Duo eyes googled as he noticed that Trowa's genitalia, although large, was only beginning to have flecks of light hair growing, just like Quatre.  
As Trowa walked towards him, towards the exit, Duo had to blink twice to make sure he was seeing right.  
'Shit- you're so tall already and you're only hitting puberty right now?'  
'Puberty?' Trowa asked, sounding puzzled.  
'Yeah, puberty- when you get fur down below. When you become a real man- you get properly furry. Like me!'  
Duo flicked open his towel and showed off his thick patch proudly. He trimmed and maintained it as religiously as he did his long, braided hair, so the strands were glossy and bright.  
'Hn... it's a darker colour than your braid....'  
A hand appeared and Duo suddenly squaked with pain as its fingers firmly gribbed five strands nearby his sensitive balls and pulled the thick, curled growth from their roots.  
'And it's thicker. Interesting...' stated Heero in a monotone voice, as he brought Duo's uprooted pubic hairs before his nose and looked at them with a critical eye.  
'Why you-!' Duo grabbed and pulled down Heero's own towel to retaliate.  
'You... you bald cunt!' Duo exclaimed as he looked in shock at Heero's naked resting penis.  
Heero frowned at Duo and dropped the hairs.  
'It's a penis,' he corrected. 'Are you blind? I'm not a girl. In fact, mine is bigger than yours.'  
'So what? Yours is fucking balder than the Bald Eagle of the USA! Just how old are you?' Duo started laughing.  
Heero scowled at the sound.  
'I don't see why you are so proud of having excessive hair.'  
He reached down between Duo's legs and plucked off another larger patch, this time, directly under Duo's balls. Duo let out a muffled screech and attempted to punch Heero.   
Heero dodged the blow. To Duo's frustration, the bastard also managed to avoid his follow-up punches and kicks. Despite the slipperiness of the bath titles, Heero had the quick footwork of a demon. Unfortunately for Duo, because of his sore knee, he wasn't as fast in cornering off Heero.  
'Heero, you stay right there! I'm so going to hit you!'  
'No, I will not. You will not hit me. I'm leaving with Trowa. Trowa- let's go... What are you two doing?'  
Duo stopped chasing Heero around the edge of the bath to turn to where Heero was looking at. Quatre and Trowa were both facing each other, blocking the doorway. Or rather, both were looking down between them.  
'...It's so true. Yours is much thinner than mine. Have you've only just started? But your penis is so big!'  
'Thank you... I think. But if you don't mind... can you please unhand my penis? It feels... I feel strange.'  
'Oh! Gosh! I'm so, so sorry!'   
Quatre immediately stopped and blushed.  
'It's fine. It's not an unpleasant sensation. We'll see you both later in the dorm room.'   
Trowa smoothly wrapped his towel around his waist and moved past Quatre. As if it was nothing, the tall green eye youth walked out in the connecting change room with the white towel barely decently cover his semi-hard erection.  
Heero followed, closing the door behind them.  
The sound of the door clicking was accompanied by lengthy period of silence as Quatre stood with his face towards the shut door, with Duo trying to process what he had just saw.  
'Quatre...'  
'Don't say anything, Duo,' Quatre swung around and held up his palm. 'Not even one word.'  
'This is serious, Quatre. One does not lightly grab somebody's penis, you know. That was way gay.'  
Quatre went completely red.  
'Oh... shut up, Duo,' he snapped. 'I wasn't thinking, okay? It wasn't gay.'  
As he stalked past Duo, he pointed to Duo's lower part.  
'I'm not the one who wielding a hard staff here. Are you kinky and into pain, or something? Did you like Heero pulling your ball's hair strands?'  
'What?'  
Duo looked down and suddenly blushed. He had an erection.  
'Hey... it's... shit, it's just an automatic reaction, okay?'  
'Hmmp. Admit it Duo- maybe it's because you're gay and that's why you're always aware of Heero! Because you want him to be a pain in your ass!'  
'I give! Okay! I give! I'm sorry!' Duo snarled. 'But for fuck's sake, that shit's uncalled for.'  
Damnit, Quatre can be so catty at times. The reaction meant jack shit, anyway. It was just a biological, automatic reaction. He was a just a young, healthy teenage boy, and pain did not turn him on at all!  
'I'm just a boy,' Duo muttered to himself. 'A nice, normal boy. I do not have S&M tendancies.'  
'This feels like the Nile,' Quatre called out as he dipped himself in the bath.  
Quatre wasn't catty. He was bitch, Duo thought darkly as he flickered Quatre an angry look. Quatre just smiled, content in being the winner.

 

TBC.


End file.
